Long queues of visitors from across Kashmir outside the Civil Secretariat, hustle and bustle on the premises and dust rising from rooms with employees engaged in packing files marked the day today.
This is ahead of the biannual move of the Civil Secretariat and other Durbar Move offices which are scheduled to close this weekend in the summer capital for reopening in the winter capital.
“The process of packing old files and record started early this week while those of urgent nature are still being moved,” said officials.
With only two working days left prior to the Durbar Move, packing of record and files in trunks and bags has gained momentum. By Friday afternoon, everything will be packed for transportation to the winter capital and offices closed.
As per practice, the government plans to have the Winter Secretariat functional here for the next six months with one minister available for the public. This is being formally ordered on the last working day of the Secretariat on Friday.
A Special Secretary of the Home Department remains stationed in the Secretariat while ministers are deputed on rotational basis every week through the winter months.
Over the past couple of weeks, there have been long queues of visitors from different parts of Kashmir division and Ladakh region following their pending cases and files of different nature in the Civil Secretariat, housing the offices of Chief Minister, ministers and administrative secretaries.
Till late in the afternoon, visitors were found jostling outside the Secretariat gates to reach the entrance after being frisked by policemen on duty.
“Only some of the visitors are lucky enough to get their work done,” said an official, hinting at the absence of many ministers from their offices.
