Local Action in and on Urban Open Spaces of Hyderabad

The article examines participatory approaches to negotiating urban street space in Begum Bazaar, Hyderabad, within the Sustainable Hyderabad project. Rapid economic growth, urbanisation, and increasing motorisation have intensified competition for scarce street space, creating conflicts among pedestrians, vendors, businesses, transport workers, residents, and other users. The authors conceptualise urban street space as a potential commons whose sustainable and socially just use requires the inclusion of diverse local perspectives. Their intervention combined six months of local engagement, participant observation, qualitative interviews, and a two-day Citizens' Exhibition presenting participants' experiences and views. The process successfully broadened the existing debate, strengthened awareness, and created opportunities for interaction among socially diverse groups. However, important actors, particularly women and government officials, remained underrepresented. The authors conclude that such exhibitions cannot resolve complex spatial conflicts alone. Instead, they should serve as the starting point for long-term, inclusive participation, supported by neutral moderation, stronger local institutions, and coordination between citizens and urban authorities.