SRINAGAR: While chairing a high-level meeting to review the preparations for winter darbar move 2020, the Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam said that the Rapid Antigen Test is mandatory for the employees moving with the bi-annual darbar move.

Administrative Secretaries of departments of Home, Housing & Urban Development, Power Development, General Administration, Estates, Jal Shakti, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, besides Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir along with IGP, Security, IGP Kashmir, and IGP, Jammu participated in the meeting.

The General Administration Department informed the offices observing a 5-day week shall close at Srinagar on 30th October, 2020 and offices observing 6-day week shall close on 31st October, 2020 after office hours. All the offices will reopen re-open at the winter capital city of Jammu on 9th November, 2020. However, in view of the holidays in the last week of October, this could be modified.

The meeting was informed that adequate arrangements are being made to transport official records and employees on 30th -31st October, 2020, and 7th-8th November, 2020. The security and escort plan, availability of trucks and buses, recovery vans, mobile workshops, health facilities, and ambulances along the highway were discussed threadbare.

The Chief Secretary directed the Traffic Department to ensure hassle-free movement of employees from Srinagar to Jammu. The Divisional Commissioner, Jammu was asked to establish control rooms to monitor move-related transit of record and personnel. He directed the BEACON and NHAI to ensure the good condition of Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. Deputy Commissioner, Ramban was directed to keep a contingency plan ready should there be a disruption of traffic on the highway due to landslides/shooting stones.