Jammu, Oct 30: The first convoy of State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) vehicles carrying official files and records reached the Civil Secretariat complex in the winter capital of the state here on Sunday evening.
 Official sources told Greater Kashmir that around 80 SRTC buses and trucks loaded with official files and records reached the Civil Secretariat Jammu, escorted by police and paramilitary vehicles, till the last reports poured in.
 The Jammu and Kashmir is the only state in the country that has the distinction of having two capitals---Srinagar in summer and Jammu in winter---because of an old tradition of shifting the state secretariat, the Heads of Department and some other offices between the two places every six months. The 140-year old practice started during Dogra rule in 1872 by Maharaja Gulab Singh continues even today.
 Sources said all official documents and files were safely shifted to the Civil Secretariat Complex which is scheduled to reopen on November 9.
 “The authorities had put restrictions on traffic movement along the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu  Highway keeping in view the movement of government vehicles carrying official records. Traffic department imposed one-way traffic (from Srinagar to Jammu) of vehicles for second consecutive day to facilitate smooth passage of government convoys. Similar restrict will be put in place on November 5-6,” sources said.
 They said that all vehicles heading towards Srinagar from Jammu were not allowed to ply on highway, which led to frequent jams at several places due to wrong parking.
 The Durbar move involves shifting of the official files and records in truckloads under proper security. A convoy of buses is also required to transport employees from one place to another. Each employee is paid a lump sum amount called the move allowance each time the offices shift from Srinagar to Jammu or Jammu to Srinagar.
 Meanwhile, various agencies were busy in giving final touches to the arrangements for reopening of Civil Secretariat in Jammu. “All main roads and buildings are being new look while the senior officials are personally supervising the arrangements at residential complexes (government quarters) for government employees,” said sources.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 30 Oct 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:00:00 IST