Takes road trip to winter capital, receives grand reception
JAMMU: After six years, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has resumed office in the Civil Secretariat of Jammu, marking the return of winter governance in Jammu and Kashmir winter capital.
Omar, who assumed office in the newly formed Union Territory’s first elected government, arrived in Jammu’s Secretariat on Monday to initiate governmental operations for the winter season.
The annual shift, known as the Darbar Move, has yet to be formally reinstated by the administration. However, officials report that the government’s winter relocation to Jammu has effectively started.
All evening flights to Jammu airport were canceled on Sunday, and Monday morning flights experienced delays due to poor visibility, officials reported. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had to travel to Jammu by road early Monday, as flight delays continued amid low visibility.
“Poor visibility in Jammu meant a sudden, last minute, road trip. Nothing flew in or out from Jammu yesterday so I had to saddle up and take the road to the winter capital,” Abdullah posted on X (formerly Twitter). Observing the dense haze, he added, “Looking at the visibility from the balcony of the official residence I don’t think flights will be operating any time soon today either. You can barely see the sun in the haze.”
The cancellations and delays affected services from airlines, including SpiceJet, IndiGo, and Alliance Air, leaving passengers stranded at airports in Delhi, Srinagar, and Jammu.
The Meteorological Department stated that the smog-like conditions would likely persist in the plains and border areas until rainfall clears the haze. Dr. Mahendra Singh, a meteorologist, attributed the poor visibility to the burning of stubble and crop residues, which is common in the region at this time of year.
He added that a western disturbance building up in the coming days may bring light rain and snowfall to parts of north Kashmir, which could improve visibility. Another weather system expected at the week’s end could further reduce smog levels.’
Chief Minister received a rousing welcome at the Civil Secretariat in Jammu upon his arrival to assume office in the winter capital.
This marked his first official visit to the Jammu Secretariat since taking office as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on October 16 in Srinagar.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was warmly greeted by his Council of ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary and cabinet members Sakeena Masood Itoo, Javed Ahmad Rana, Javid Ahmad Dar, and Satish Sharma.
Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta and other senior officials, and staff of the Civil Secretariat were also present to receive him.
In a gesture of camaraderie, the Chief Minister visited the chambers of his ministers to formally welcome them, reflecting his commitment to fostering a collaborative working environment.
During his visit, Chief Minister also inspected the ongoing construction of the new Assembly Complex.
He toured the complex, where officials from the Public Works Department (PWD) Roads & Buildings (R&B) Division provided a detailed briefing on the project’s various stages, timeline and next steps. (Inputs from KNO, KINS)
