The Jammu & Kashmir administration has drawn up a list of 108 persons after whom these public utility structures will be named

The majority of the names on the list, a copy of which HT has seen, are those of security forces, including policemen and army personnel.

Schools, roads and buildings in Jammu & Kashmir will soon be named after members of security forces who died fighting terrorism, security personnel who received gallantry awards, and prominent literary personalities and artists, a government spokesperson said.

The Jammu & Kashmir administration has drawn up a list of 108 persons after whom these public utility structures will be named, the spokesperson added.

The majority of the names on the list, a copy of which HT has seen, are those of security forces, including policemen and army personnel, who were killed fighting militants since militancy erupted in Jammu & Kashmir. The list also includes names of top academics and artists who won Sahitya Akademi awards.

The J&K administration on Thursday said that its administrative council met under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and approved the move to name schools, roads and buildings after “martyrs and eminent persons” as part of the Indian government’s Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative aimed at celebrating the country’s 75 years of independence.

“As a mark of respect and acknowledgement of the exceptional contributions towards the security and development of the Union territory, the identified infrastructure will be renamed after the martyrs and living legends from Jammu and Kashmir,” the spokesperson said.

Those named on the list include late assistant sub-inspector Mohammed Akbar, who lost his life in an attack after militants stormed an army camp at Mohra in Uri in 2014, killing several soldiers and policemen.

Also included in the list are former Kashmir University vice chancellor late Habibullah Bhat alias Hamidi Kashmiri and Padma Shri and playwright late Moti Lal Kemu. Welcoming the administration’s move, BJP leader Altaf Thakur said: “The naming of schools and roads after martyrs is a welcome step. They gave their lives to the nation and this is the minimum we can do for them.” National Conference spokesman Imran Dar said: “This government mainly is mainly concerned about optics. On the ground, there is no actual change.”