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Jammu And Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s Durbar Move After 4 Years Gets A Thunderous Welcome
Walking from his official residence to Raghunath Bazar en route to the Civil Secretariat, Abdullah was cheered on by massive crowds along the Residency Road, where traders and citizens showered flower petals on him and distributed sweets as the air thrummed with drumbeats and celebratory slogans
Picture : @CM_JnK/X
Amid scenes of jubilation and festivity, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah received a rousing welcome from the people in Jammu as the historic ‘Darbar Move’ resumed after a four-year hiatus.
The tradition involves shifting the Jammu and Kashmir capital and administrative offices from Srinagar to Jammu in the winter and vice versa in the summer.
Chief Minister was accorded a Guard of Honour on his arrival at the Civil Secretariat, Jammu, marking the opening of offices as part of the traditional Darbar Move.
The Chief Minister inspected the ceremonial parade and interacted with officers and staff on the occasion. pic.twitter.com/dsHAzWVLpd
— Office of Chief Minister, J&K (@CM_JnK) November 3, 2025
Walking from his official residence to Raghunath Bazar en route to the Civil Secretariat, Abdullah was cheered on by massive crowds along the Residency Road, where traders and citizens showered flower petals on him and distributed sweets as the air thrummed with drumbeats and celebratory slogans.
Chief Minister was accorded a rousing welcome by the people of Jammu on his arrival for the biannual Darbar Move today. The Chief Minister interacted with traders and civil society members at Shahidi Chowk and Raghunath Bazar before being received with a Guard of Honour at Civil… pic.twitter.com/MreVhEOER3
— Office of Chief Minister, J&K (@CM_JnK) November 3, 2025
Abdullah, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and Jal Shakti Minister Javed Rana, left his official residence around 9 am and had to board his vehicle at Raghunath Bazar to reach the Secretariat.
His decision to walk the distance drew praise from locals, who saw it as a symbol of humility and connection with the people.
The chief minister was given a guard of honour by the Jammu and Kashmir Police contingent and took the salute on reaching the Civil Secretariat, where another group of people showered flower petals on Abdullah’s cavalcade while the sound of drumbeats rent the air.
“I was humbled to receive a warm and rousing welcome from the people of Jammu as I arrived for the biannual Darbar Move today and interacted with traders and members of civil society at Shahidi Chowk and Raghunath Bazar,” the chief minister said in a post on social media.
The Darbar Move tradition was started by the Dogra rulers nearly 150 years ago. It was halted by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in June 2021, citing the administration’s complete transition to e-office, which, he said, would save around Rs 200 crore annually.
The decision drew sharp criticism from various quarters, including Jammu’s business community, which termed the move a blow to trade and the traditional bond between the two regions. They had been pressing for the revival of the practice ever since.
On October 16, Abdullah fulfilled his election promise by reviving the tradition, bringing relief to the business community here.