Srinagar city, the summer capital of the state, is being given a facelift ahead of the opening of the Durbar move offices here. Officials said security and other arrangements had been put in place to ensure smooth opening of the Civil Secretariat in the summer capital, which is scheduled to open from May 9.
The Durbar move, which is a century-old tradition from the Dogra rule in the state, takes place twice a year as the administration shifts between Jammu and Srinagar in view of weather conditions. The officials said the offices of the Chief Minister, council of ministers, Chief Secretary and top bureaucrats would start functioning in the Valley from Monday.
The administration has been preparing for making necessary arrangements to ensure completion of all repair and renovation work. The Assembly secretariat is also gearing up for making preparations for the upcoming budget session.
Road crossings and barricades have been painted in several areas to carry out the annual move.
The authorities have also been working to provide proper sanitation in estates colonies in the Civil Line areas of Srinagar where government employees and other officials stay.
Locals, however, are not happy with the temporary measures and want that the interiors of the city should also be repaired and renovated permanently. “The government spends huge funds in this exercise but the interiors of the city are still in a dilapidated condition. This temporary cosmetic measure vanishes quickly. There is a need for concrete steps to improve the condition of the Srinagar city,” said Suhail Ahmed, a city resident.
The Civil Secretariat and other Durbar move offices closed in Jammu on April 26. It will function here till late October and then move to Jammu, the winter capital of the state, in the first week of November.
Valley geting facelift ahead of Durbar move
