“With the Municipal Corporation sprucing up the city, suddenly roadside garbage and dust have disappeared and all important roads have been re-carpeted,” a Jammu newspaper reported. “The dividers are being painted. With the secretariat soon opening, people from the different districts have also starting streaming into the city, giving a boost to the local economy as well. Government switches over to vibrant mode today.”
At the same time, however, the security has been improved in the city.
Secretariat employees have told reporters that they will be experiencing the “office timing” perhaps for the first time in last four months. In Srinagar, because of the situation, they would rarely report to duties, especially during the first three fortnights of the crisis. Some officials would rarely use the official cars and would leave home on scooters carrying the vegetable bag and then make way to their offices.
One official in a key department had kept a suit in his office and will change after he reached office using his noisy, run-down two wheeler.
Offices had formally closed in Srinagar on October 27.
However, reports from Jammu said Durbar re-opening is not going to be completely tension free. Some opposition parties have planned protests on the very first day of the functioning of the durbar.
Congress has planned a protest march from Congress headquarters Shahidi Chowk towards Civil Secretariat and courting arrests in protest against the total failure of the coalition government on all fronts and fulfill the promises made to the different sections of the society. The senior party leaders led by PCC chief and other senior functionaries would lead the peaceful march and offer for arrest to draw the attention of the public towards the failure of State and Centre Govt. The leaders of PCC, legislators, former Ministers, district presidents and leaders of frontal organization would participate in the march.