Jammu: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday said that the restoration of the historic Darbar Move tradition after four years will significantly boost Jammu’s economy and reinforce unity between Jammu and Srinagar.
Speaking to reporters in Jammu, CM Omar, per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that discontinuation of the Darbar Move had delivered a major setback to Jammu. “We had promised people that we would restore the Darbar Move. Today, the Darbar Move has been restored. I hope this will give a significant boost to the economy of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the decision to stop the practice earlier was taken purely on financial grounds, ignoring its emotional and symbolic value. “Not everything should be measured in monetary terms. Some things hold emotional significance. The Darbar Move connected Srinagar and Jammu. By ending it, a blow was dealt to the unity of Jammu and Kashmir, which we have now tried to rectify,” he said.
Omar added that the enthusiastic welcome the government received in Jammu today was proof of the public sentiment attached to the decision. “You must have seen today — the love, affection and welcome we received. It took us an hour to reach because of the overwhelming response. Jammu had suffered when the Darbar Move was discontinued, and traders had repeatedly raised concerns,” he said.
He asserted that the move will not only help the business community but also strengthen emotional and cultural ties between both regions. “Sometimes some people create a distance between Jammu and Srinagar for political gains. We want to bridge that distance,” he added.
Omar said special arrangements have been made to ensure smooth resumption of the biannual office shift and that it may take a few days for all departments to settle fully—(KNO)
