With winter starting to set in, thousands of employees of the Jammu and Kashmir government have begun preparation for the annual Darbar Move, which sees them shifting from the Union Territory’s summer capital Srinagar to winter capital Jammu every year.The employees will wrap up work in Srinagar on October 30-31 and resume duties in Jammu on November 2.Darbar Move is a 150-year-old tradition that witnesses the bi-annual shifting of the Civil Secretariat and other offices of the UT Administration from Srinagar to Jammu before the onset of winter, and vice versa in summers.Abandoned five years ago to save nearly Rs 200 crore worth of public exchequer spent on shifting of government and its offices from one place to another every six months, the tradition made a comeback last year.Also Read | Shifting govt offices from Srinagar to Jammu for winters: Why unique ‘Darbar Move’ tradition is now back in J&KWhile all the departments in the Civil Secretariat, including the Chief Minister’s secretariat, are among the 41 offices moving “in full’’, 50 others will shift to Jammu “in camp’’, according to an order issued by Commissioner/Secretary, General Administration Department, M Raju, on Monday.Offices moving in camp will be allowed to take only 33% of their total staff strength, or 10 officials, whichever is lower, unless otherwise specified, the order said. Offices observing a five-day work week will close in Srinagar on October 30 while those with a six-day week will wrap up on October 31, it added.Apart from departments in the civil secretariat, prominent among the other offices moving in full include the Chief Electoral Officer, Directorate of Information, Directorate General of Accounts and Treasuries, Labour Commissioner and Transport Commissioner.Not all departments to move in fullStory continues below this adThose moving “in camp” include State Taxes Department, the Excise Department, the Economics and Statistics Department, the J&K Services Selection Board, the Board of Professional Entrance Examination, the National Health Mission Directorate and various other departments, boards and corporations.Hundreds of police personnel will also participate in the move.From Express Archive | Why National Conference, Apni Party promised return to Jammu and Kashmir Durbar move ahead of last electionsEach moving employee will get a fixed Move Travel Allowance of Rs 25,000, the order said, adding that those who fail to move before or within the prescribed deadline will not be eligible for it.The order asked all the moving employees to surrender any government, evacuee or the municipal accommodation occupied by them, except under proper allotment order. However, they can retain accommodation allotted to them at Srinagar for bonafide use of their families under intimation to the Estates Department, on approval of terms and conditions, it added.Combined leave restrictedStory continues below this adThe government has restricted the leave in combination with or immediately following the move days to only exceptional circumstances with the approval of the Administrative Secretary concerned. Kashmir-based employees wishing to avail of five days of Special Casual Leave will be permitted to do so, irrespective of whether accommodation is available to them in Jammu.For the transportation of employees, the Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) has been directed to arrange sufficient buses in good condition on October 31 and November 1. Advance ticket booking will begin on October 27 at the Civil Secretariat and JKRTC’s main booking counters, with destination-based booking to be provided wherever feasible.Each convoy will be accompanied by a crane, two empty buses and mobile workshop facilities to address breakdowns en route, the order said, adding that the J&K Police will escort the convoys to their respective destinations and ensure priority passage through the Banihal-Qazigund Tunnel and the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel.The Health and Medical Education Department too has been directed to arrange medical assistance at Qazigund, Banihal, Ramsu, Ramban, Chenani, Udhampur and Jhajjar Kotli on the days employees travel from Srinagar to Jammu.Story continues below this adThe Estates Department will arrange accommodation for officers and officials moving to Jammu in accordance with past practice.Ration counters to be set upThe Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department has also been directed to establish ration counters at suitable locations near residential colonies of employees in Jammu to ensure adequate supplies.The government has ordered the establishment of a Winter Secretariat at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar to maintain administrative functioning during the winter session, asking each Administrative Department to identify one gazetted officer and four non-gazetted officials for retention in Srinagar, subject to prior approval from the competent authority.The “move” departments have been asked to give preference, wherever feasible, to female employees and those with serious medical conditions while identifying staff for retention.Story continues below this adAfter reopening, the Civil Secretariat and Heads of Departments located within its premises in Jammu will function from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm. Moving Heads of Departments located outside the Civil Secretariat and observing a six-day week will work from 10 am to 4.30 pm, the order said.