The last working day at the civil secretariat here on Friday remained abuzz with various activities. The employees were packing office furniture, files, computers, printers and other records in sealed boxes and trunks.
The coolies were loading boxes in trucks parked in the complex.
As part of a bi-annual practice, the civil secretariat, seat of the government, which closed here today, will reopen in Srinagar, the summer capital, on May 7.
Sources said that preparations for the Darbar move to Srinagar were going on for the past several days. “There was thin attendance of ministers and the officials during past many days at the secretariat as most of the ministers and officials were not attending offices regularly,” sources said.
“Most of the ministers were also absent from office on Friday,” sources said adding that many ministers have already left for their respective constituencies.
The advance parties for supervision of arrangements from various department were already deputed, who will receive the records at Srinagar.
Dhirender Sharma, General Manager, State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) said that preparation is in full swung and the scheduled has been prepared for movement of convoys.
“As many as 65 trucks were kept available for various departments of the civil secretariat. The trucks were being loaded with office fixtures since morning. While, 80 additional trucks have been kept for other move offices,” he said.
“Adequate number of buses is also available for transportation of Kashmir based employees. The first convoy will leave on April 28, to be followed by another convoy on April 29. The Jammu based employees will leave on May 5 and 6.”
Darbar Move is a century-old practice in which the government functions for six months each in the two capitals of the State, Srinagar and Jammu.