For decades, Jammu has functioned as a key religious and transit hub, benefiting from pilgrims traveling to Vaishno Devi, Amarnath Shrine and tourists heading to Kashmir. However, with direct rail connectivity to Katra, a significant number of visitors now bypass Jammu, plummeting demand for hotels, restaurants, and transport services that previously thrived on transit tourism. This shift affects thousands of small businesses that relied on seasonal tourism, leading to lowered footfall in commercial areas around the railway station, core city and bus stand
Jammu, the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir, holds significant importance as both a cultural and political center. Historically, it has been a focal point for various religious, social, and economic activities, yet the city faces numerous challenges in its planning and development. With rapid urbanization and growing population, Jammu struggles with several key issues, which may hinderits sustainable growth and development. Among these challenges, the traditional practice of the Darbar Move, direct rail connectivity to Katra and Srinagar, and the absence of an integrated Kashmir interface stand out as sturdily impactful. These issues, if left unaddressed, can slow the progress of the city and exacerbate existing problems, making it precarious to explore and tackle them comprehensively.
For decades, Jammu has functioned as a key religious and transit hub, benefiting from pilgrims traveling to Vaishno Devi, Amarnath Shrine and tourists heading to Kashmir. However, with direct rail connectivity to Katra, a significant number of visitors now bypass Jammu, plummeting demand for hotels, restaurants, and transport services that previously thrived on transit tourism. This shift affects thousands of small businesses that relied on seasonal tourism, leading to lowered footfall in commercial areas around the railway station, core city and bus stand. While this may seem easing congestion in the city, it also raises concerns about economic stagnation, if alternative growth strategies are not implemented. The abolition of the Darbar Move, which traditionally saw government offices shifting between Srinagar and Jammu every six months, further deepens the economic predicaments. This century-old practice brought an influx of officials, employees, and businesses to Jammu during winter, boosting the city’s real estate, hospitality, retail, and service sectors. With government operations now largely centralized, Jammu loses a major seasonal economic driver, affecting demand for office spaces, rentals, and daily-wage employment that depended on the move. The absence of government-led spending could also slow real estate growth, particularly in commercial and rental housing markets. Contrastingly, Srinagar has not been impacted by abolition of darbar move much mainly due to the convergence of move period with the peak tourist season in Kashmir where Srinagar functions as the focal center. The direct rail linkage to Katra and Kashmir, combined with the abolition of the Darbar Move, marks a major shift in Jammu’s economic and administrative landscape weakening its impulses of urban dynamism. These enlargements are significantly impacting the city’s economy, infrastructure, and overall urban upsurges, presenting both challenges and opportunities for its impending growth. On the one hand, these changes offer Jammu an opportunity to reinvent itself as a self-sustaining economic and cultural hub and on the other side if appropriate policy decisions and plans are not framed city’s flagging urban impetus may pose serious challenges.
Impact of the Darbar Move on Jammu’s Development
One of the most significant challenges facing Jammu’s urban development is the long-standing practice of the Darbar Move. This tradition involves the shifting of government offices between Jammu and Srinagar, which occurs twice every year, disrupting administrative functions and causing significant logistical challenges. While this practice dates back centuries, it remains a major bottleneck in the efficient governance of the state. The administrative disruption caused by the Darbar Move leads to delays in the implementation of policies and urban projects. With the government offices temporarily relocating to the other city, there is often a disruption in communication and decision-making, which significantly slows down the pace of development. This inefficiency is not limited to the state administration but affects local businesses and services that rely on government activity, thereby stalling economic momentum. The financial cost of the Darbar Move is also staggering, with the state government incurring significant expenses to facilitate the relocation of personnel, documents, and equipment twice a year. These costs, which run into millions of rupees annually, could otherwise be better utilized in the development of infrastructure and public services in the city.
Moreover, the Darbar Move contributes to environmental degradation, as the transportation of large numbers of government employees, their families, and heavy machinery between the two cities involves considerable fuel consumption and pollution. This practice not only drains the state’s resources but also has a detrimental impact on the environment, particularly in a region that is already struggling with air quality and traffic congestion. Urban infrastructure projects in Jammu are also hindered by the cyclical nature of the Darbar Move. The seasonal shift in government offices often leads to a lack of continuity in ongoing development projects. Road maintenance, expansion of public services, and urban beautification efforts are routinely delayed, as the focus temporarily shifts to handling the logistics of the move. This results in stagnation in urban development, with few long-term projects seeing significant progress.
Since Jammu city was the terminating point of the country and railway had greatly boosted it potentials of development. People from all over the state had to visit the Jammu to proceed forward to other States. It had bestowed Jammu greater amount centrality and dominance in the urban landscape of the J&K. With the extension of direct rail link to Katra and other parts of the Kashmir, it is likely to lose supremacy. Another pressing issue Jammu city is confronted due to direct rail link to Katra and Srinagar. While Jammu is well-connected to major cities across India, its transportation infrastructure remains incomplete due to the lack of a seamless rail connection to key towns in the region.
Katra, which is located near the Vaishno Devi shrine, attracts millions of pilgrims each year. However, direct rail link to Katra means that pilgrims do not need to rely on road transport, avoiding travel through Jammu city and costs of journey. It will eventually boost Katra which used to hamper pilgrimage, tourism and economic development. The inconvenience caused by this transportation gap used to discourage visitors from exploring the region holy shrine. A more efficient transportation system now including a seamless rail link to Katra, would undoubtedly improve the tourism experience, making it more attractive for travelers and pilgrims alike on one side and may slow the buzz of Jammu to a greater extent.
Similarly, due to the absence of a direct rail link between Jammu and Srinagar earlier had extraordinary convergence and foot fall benefits of passengers and was one of the key element to bond the two cities, enhancing the movement of goods and people. While the roads provide access, they are often congested, unsafe, and time-consuming. A direct rail link has vastly enabled and improved the connectivity between the Kashmir and rest of the country without traveling to Jammu. It likely to foster stronger economic ties, boosting trade, and making travel outside UT more convenient but is expectedly reduce the interface between the two parts of the J&K. This lack of interface would prevent Jammu from benefiting fully from the tourism, Pilgrimage and trade potentials that acted as a catalyst earlier to unlock transportation benefits to city Jammu.
Roadblocking Interface& Regional Unity
The absence of an effective Kashmir interfaces another critical issue affecting Jammu’s urban planning and development. While both Jammu and Srinagar are part of the same state, the political, cultural, and administrative divide between the two regions has led to a fragmented approach to development. This lack of integration not only affects the economic and social cohesion of the region but also stifles the potential for shared growth and prosperity. The political divide between the Jammu region, which has a majority Hindu population, and the Kashmir Valley, predominantly Muslim, has created a complex socio-political environment that has, in many ways, shaped the development priorities of the state. Policies and decisions are often tailored to regional needs, which may not always align with the broader goals of equitable development across both regions. This results in Jammu being sidelined in favor of projects in Srinagar, limiting the city’s growth prospects and contributing to regional disparities. The cultural divide further complicates matters. Jammu and Kashmir have distinct cultural identities that, while rich and diverse, often prevent the two regions from seeing themselves as part of a unified whole. This lack of shared cultural understanding hinders effective communication and collaboration on developmental projects, further deepening the sense of separation between the two cities.
This disconnect has led to uneven development, where Jammu has started losing buzz of being the most happening city which has started to transpire in the form of neglect in various sectors. While Srinagar despite losing the advantages of darbar move, enjoys a higher concentration of tourists and people which Jammu struggles to catch up, resulting in a slowdown in economy. If this trend continues, Jammu’s potential for transforming into a modern, self-sustaining and momentous city, may be upset.
Need to Reinvent &Reshape Jammu
To overcome the challenges hounding Jammu city’s potentials and prospects, several stepladders need to be taken. One of the most urgent reforms is to reconsider the practice of the Darbar Move. The financial implications which has been stated as one of the reason for abolition of the darbar move, does not weigh heavier than the significance attached to regional integration and interface it infused between two regions along with the trickle down benefits of infused economic momentum. Transitioning to a digital governance model is a welcome step, it will enable offices to operate year-round in both capital cities, and minimize the cost to be expended on the movement of material/records every year and would make the darbar move beneficial to the J&K’s overall development.
In terms of transportation, completing the rationalization of connectivity both rail and road should be a priority to facilitate the smooth movement of people and goods, reduce congestion on the roads, and contribute to economic integration between the two capitals. Additionally, improving the road infrastructure to make it safer, more efficient, and accessible would help meet the growing transportation needs of the region. The lack of a Kashmir interface requires concerted efforts to promote regional integration. Government policies should focus on creating opportunities for collaboration between Jammu and Srinagar, with an emphasis on equitable development. Joint projects that benefit both regions, such as infrastructure development, tourism, and trade initiatives, need to be prioritized to foster a more cohesive state. Promoting cultural exchange programs and creating platforms for dialogue between the people of Jammu and Kashmir could help bridge the divide and foster a sense of shared identity and purpose.
Bottom line
Jammu city, with its unique geographical and political situation, faces several challenges in terms of planning and development. The discontinuing of Darbar Move, the direct rail connectivity with Katra and Kashmir, loss of major transit character and absence of a Kashmir interface are key obstacles that will haunt and hinder its growth and integration with the rest of the region. With government institutions no longer temporarily shifting, there is a need to attract permanent industries, IT parks, logistics hubs, and knowledge-based sectors to compensate for the imminent loss economic activity. Improved rail connectivity to Kashmir has to facilitate better trade, business expansion, and regional connect and integration, and galvanize its inherent potentials of pivotal commercial gateway and a vital transit destination by diversifying rail transport and making it evolving center of e-commerce. Additionally, developing heritage tourism, eco-tourism, adventure activities, mobility and infra can support to maintain visitors who otherwise would bypass the city. The direct rail linkages may reduce Jammu’s role as important transit city, however, it also presents opportunities for reinvention. The question remains whether the city’s leadership, city administrator’s, policy makers will take constructive and proactive steps to drive and embrace this transformation with forward thinking policies or whether it will struggle to adapt the changing urban environment. If focused policy reforms/directives and infrastructure investments are implemented, Jammu has the potential to overcome these challenges and emerge as a modern, thriving city. It is essential for both the government and local stakeholders to prioritize regional assimilations, infrastructure development, and digital governance to ensure a prosperous and thriving future for Jammu and Kashmir as a whole.
Email:---------------------------------hamwani24@gmail.com
For decades, Jammu has functioned as a key religious and transit hub, benefiting from pilgrims traveling to Vaishno Devi, Amarnath Shrine and tourists heading to Kashmir. However, with direct rail connectivity to Katra, a significant number of visitors now bypass Jammu, plummeting demand for hotels, restaurants, and transport services that previously thrived on transit tourism. This shift affects thousands of small businesses that relied on seasonal tourism, leading to lowered footfall in commercial areas around the railway station, core city and bus stand
Jammu, the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir, holds significant importance as both a cultural and political center. Historically, it has been a focal point for various religious, social, and economic activities, yet the city faces numerous challenges in its planning and development. With rapid urbanization and growing population, Jammu struggles with several key issues, which may hinderits sustainable growth and development. Among these challenges, the traditional practice of the Darbar Move, direct rail connectivity to Katra and Srinagar, and the absence of an integrated Kashmir interface stand out as sturdily impactful. These issues, if left unaddressed, can slow the progress of the city and exacerbate existing problems, making it precarious to explore and tackle them comprehensively.
For decades, Jammu has functioned as a key religious and transit hub, benefiting from pilgrims traveling to Vaishno Devi, Amarnath Shrine and tourists heading to Kashmir. However, with direct rail connectivity to Katra, a significant number of visitors now bypass Jammu, plummeting demand for hotels, restaurants, and transport services that previously thrived on transit tourism. This shift affects thousands of small businesses that relied on seasonal tourism, leading to lowered footfall in commercial areas around the railway station, core city and bus stand. While this may seem easing congestion in the city, it also raises concerns about economic stagnation, if alternative growth strategies are not implemented. The abolition of the Darbar Move, which traditionally saw government offices shifting between Srinagar and Jammu every six months, further deepens the economic predicaments. This century-old practice brought an influx of officials, employees, and businesses to Jammu during winter, boosting the city’s real estate, hospitality, retail, and service sectors. With government operations now largely centralized, Jammu loses a major seasonal economic driver, affecting demand for office spaces, rentals, and daily-wage employment that depended on the move. The absence of government-led spending could also slow real estate growth, particularly in commercial and rental housing markets. Contrastingly, Srinagar has not been impacted by abolition of darbar move much mainly due to the convergence of move period with the peak tourist season in Kashmir where Srinagar functions as the focal center. The direct rail linkage to Katra and Kashmir, combined with the abolition of the Darbar Move, marks a major shift in Jammu’s economic and administrative landscape weakening its impulses of urban dynamism. These enlargements are significantly impacting the city’s economy, infrastructure, and overall urban upsurges, presenting both challenges and opportunities for its impending growth. On the one hand, these changes offer Jammu an opportunity to reinvent itself as a self-sustaining economic and cultural hub and on the other side if appropriate policy decisions and plans are not framed city’s flagging urban impetus may pose serious challenges.
Impact of the Darbar Move on Jammu’s Development
One of the most significant challenges facing Jammu’s urban development is the long-standing practice of the Darbar Move. This tradition involves the shifting of government offices between Jammu and Srinagar, which occurs twice every year, disrupting administrative functions and causing significant logistical challenges. While this practice dates back centuries, it remains a major bottleneck in the efficient governance of the state. The administrative disruption caused by the Darbar Move leads to delays in the implementation of policies and urban projects. With the government offices temporarily relocating to the other city, there is often a disruption in communication and decision-making, which significantly slows down the pace of development. This inefficiency is not limited to the state administration but affects local businesses and services that rely on government activity, thereby stalling economic momentum. The financial cost of the Darbar Move is also staggering, with the state government incurring significant expenses to facilitate the relocation of personnel, documents, and equipment twice a year. These costs, which run into millions of rupees annually, could otherwise be better utilized in the development of infrastructure and public services in the city.
Moreover, the Darbar Move contributes to environmental degradation, as the transportation of large numbers of government employees, their families, and heavy machinery between the two cities involves considerable fuel consumption and pollution. This practice not only drains the state’s resources but also has a detrimental impact on the environment, particularly in a region that is already struggling with air quality and traffic congestion. Urban infrastructure projects in Jammu are also hindered by the cyclical nature of the Darbar Move. The seasonal shift in government offices often leads to a lack of continuity in ongoing development projects. Road maintenance, expansion of public services, and urban beautification efforts are routinely delayed, as the focus temporarily shifts to handling the logistics of the move. This results in stagnation in urban development, with few long-term projects seeing significant progress.
Since Jammu city was the terminating point of the country and railway had greatly boosted it potentials of development. People from all over the state had to visit the Jammu to proceed forward to other States. It had bestowed Jammu greater amount centrality and dominance in the urban landscape of the J&K. With the extension of direct rail link to Katra and other parts of the Kashmir, it is likely to lose supremacy. Another pressing issue Jammu city is confronted due to direct rail link to Katra and Srinagar. While Jammu is well-connected to major cities across India, its transportation infrastructure remains incomplete due to the lack of a seamless rail connection to key towns in the region.
Katra, which is located near the Vaishno Devi shrine, attracts millions of pilgrims each year. However, direct rail link to Katra means that pilgrims do not need to rely on road transport, avoiding travel through Jammu city and costs of journey. It will eventually boost Katra which used to hamper pilgrimage, tourism and economic development. The inconvenience caused by this transportation gap used to discourage visitors from exploring the region holy shrine. A more efficient transportation system now including a seamless rail link to Katra, would undoubtedly improve the tourism experience, making it more attractive for travelers and pilgrims alike on one side and may slow the buzz of Jammu to a greater extent.
Similarly, due to the absence of a direct rail link between Jammu and Srinagar earlier had extraordinary convergence and foot fall benefits of passengers and was one of the key element to bond the two cities, enhancing the movement of goods and people. While the roads provide access, they are often congested, unsafe, and time-consuming. A direct rail link has vastly enabled and improved the connectivity between the Kashmir and rest of the country without traveling to Jammu. It likely to foster stronger economic ties, boosting trade, and making travel outside UT more convenient but is expectedly reduce the interface between the two parts of the J&K. This lack of interface would prevent Jammu from benefiting fully from the tourism, Pilgrimage and trade potentials that acted as a catalyst earlier to unlock transportation benefits to city Jammu.
Roadblocking Interface& Regional Unity
The absence of an effective Kashmir interfaces another critical issue affecting Jammu’s urban planning and development. While both Jammu and Srinagar are part of the same state, the political, cultural, and administrative divide between the two regions has led to a fragmented approach to development. This lack of integration not only affects the economic and social cohesion of the region but also stifles the potential for shared growth and prosperity. The political divide between the Jammu region, which has a majority Hindu population, and the Kashmir Valley, predominantly Muslim, has created a complex socio-political environment that has, in many ways, shaped the development priorities of the state. Policies and decisions are often tailored to regional needs, which may not always align with the broader goals of equitable development across both regions. This results in Jammu being sidelined in favor of projects in Srinagar, limiting the city’s growth prospects and contributing to regional disparities. The cultural divide further complicates matters. Jammu and Kashmir have distinct cultural identities that, while rich and diverse, often prevent the two regions from seeing themselves as part of a unified whole. This lack of shared cultural understanding hinders effective communication and collaboration on developmental projects, further deepening the sense of separation between the two cities.
This disconnect has led to uneven development, where Jammu has started losing buzz of being the most happening city which has started to transpire in the form of neglect in various sectors. While Srinagar despite losing the advantages of darbar move, enjoys a higher concentration of tourists and people which Jammu struggles to catch up, resulting in a slowdown in economy. If this trend continues, Jammu’s potential for transforming into a modern, self-sustaining and momentous city, may be upset.
Need to Reinvent &Reshape Jammu
To overcome the challenges hounding Jammu city’s potentials and prospects, several stepladders need to be taken. One of the most urgent reforms is to reconsider the practice of the Darbar Move. The financial implications which has been stated as one of the reason for abolition of the darbar move, does not weigh heavier than the significance attached to regional integration and interface it infused between two regions along with the trickle down benefits of infused economic momentum. Transitioning to a digital governance model is a welcome step, it will enable offices to operate year-round in both capital cities, and minimize the cost to be expended on the movement of material/records every year and would make the darbar move beneficial to the J&K’s overall development.
In terms of transportation, completing the rationalization of connectivity both rail and road should be a priority to facilitate the smooth movement of people and goods, reduce congestion on the roads, and contribute to economic integration between the two capitals. Additionally, improving the road infrastructure to make it safer, more efficient, and accessible would help meet the growing transportation needs of the region. The lack of a Kashmir interface requires concerted efforts to promote regional integration. Government policies should focus on creating opportunities for collaboration between Jammu and Srinagar, with an emphasis on equitable development. Joint projects that benefit both regions, such as infrastructure development, tourism, and trade initiatives, need to be prioritized to foster a more cohesive state. Promoting cultural exchange programs and creating platforms for dialogue between the people of Jammu and Kashmir could help bridge the divide and foster a sense of shared identity and purpose.
Bottom line
Jammu city, with its unique geographical and political situation, faces several challenges in terms of planning and development. The discontinuing of Darbar Move, the direct rail connectivity with Katra and Kashmir, loss of major transit character and absence of a Kashmir interface are key obstacles that will haunt and hinder its growth and integration with the rest of the region. With government institutions no longer temporarily shifting, there is a need to attract permanent industries, IT parks, logistics hubs, and knowledge-based sectors to compensate for the imminent loss economic activity. Improved rail connectivity to Kashmir has to facilitate better trade, business expansion, and regional connect and integration, and galvanize its inherent potentials of pivotal commercial gateway and a vital transit destination by diversifying rail transport and making it evolving center of e-commerce. Additionally, developing heritage tourism, eco-tourism, adventure activities, mobility and infra can support to maintain visitors who otherwise would bypass the city. The direct rail linkages may reduce Jammu’s role as important transit city, however, it also presents opportunities for reinvention. The question remains whether the city’s leadership, city administrator’s, policy makers will take constructive and proactive steps to drive and embrace this transformation with forward thinking policies or whether it will struggle to adapt the changing urban environment. If focused policy reforms/directives and infrastructure investments are implemented, Jammu has the potential to overcome these challenges and emerge as a modern, thriving city. It is essential for both the government and local stakeholders to prioritize regional assimilations, infrastructure development, and digital governance to ensure a prosperous and thriving future for Jammu and Kashmir as a whole.
Email:---------------------------------hamwani24@gmail.com
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