Hyderabad's Hidden Divides: A Closer Look at Urban Segregation

Hyderabad, is a city celebrated for its rich history, diverse cultures, and thriving technology sector. The city presents an image of dynamic urban growth but yet, beneath its bustling streets and towering buildings, there lies an often-overlooked reality: the city’s profound socio-spatial segregation. In an insightful study, researchers Prof. Suchismita Satpathy and Rohit Jha from BITS-Pilani Hyderabad Campus delve into these hidden divides, exploring how they shape access to essential resources and influence daily life for many residents.

The study, titled “Segregation in Hyderabad: Introspecting Multiple Indexes and Multiple Patterns”, is groundbreaking in its multi-layered approach to understanding urban segregation. Tools like the Dissimilarity Index (DI), Interaction and Isolation Indexes, and a self-developed Mandal Development Index (MDI) to illustrate how caste and religion contribute to residential segregation. These measures revealed how groups are distributed across neighbourhoods and how access to public amenities varies across different parts of the city.

The Dissimilarity Index (DI) is a well-known tool that quantifies how evenly two distinct groups are distributed across neighborhoods. For Hyderabad, the study revealed a caste-based DI of 0.196, indicating that nearly 19% of the population would need to relocate for even distribution. This was especially pronounced in areas like Bahadurpura and Rajendra Nagar, showcasing segregation hotspots where over 49% of the population would need to move for a more healthy distribution. 

One of the study’s most compelling insights lies in its examination of the core-periphery divide. Mandals like Ameerpet and Himayath Nagar in the city core displayed high MDI scores, reflecting strong infrastructure and access to resources. Meanwhile, peripheral mandals such as Ghatkesar and Rajendra Nagar showed lower development scores, underscoring a troubling disparity in access to essential services.

This divide isn’t just a matter of geography; it’s a legacy of Hyderabad’s historical and socioeconomic evolution. The researchers pointed out that the city's development has mostly focused on central areas, where powerful groups have traditionally lived, while the outskirts have fallen behind, even as their populations have grown.

Understanding why Hyderabad remains divided requires a journey into its past. The research traced how the policies of the Asaf Jahi dynasty and subsequent colonial governance influenced today's residential patterns. Upper-caste groups, such as the Reddys and Velamas, historically held significant power alongside the ruling Muslim elites, creating a legacy of social stratification. This foundation was further shaped by post-independence movements and migration trends, particularly the influx of Dalit communities into areas with expanding labor opportunities, like Marredpally and Musheerabad. Similarly, Rajendra Nagar and Bandlaguda emerged as strongholds for marginalized groups, revealing how historical circumstances and economic realities intertwined to shape the urban landscape.

Hyderabad’s religious diversity adds another layer to its segregation story. The city’s Muslim population is about three times the national average and has historically faced its own challenges, contributing to residential patterns marked by religious divides. The study found that the highest levels of caste-based segregation were not solely tied to Hindu-dominated areas but also overlapped significantly with Muslim-majority mandals like Bahadurpura and Bandlaguda. This complex web of caste and religious boundaries impacts access to public goods, education, and economic opportunities. The authors noted that while the city’s infrastructure has developed over the years, access remains unequal, leaving some communities isolated from the progress seen in other parts of Hyderabad.

This study sends a clear message: addressing urban segregation is not just about building roads and bridges—it’s about acknowledging and addressing the deeper social structures that underpin where and how people live. The lack of a straightforward link between caste-based DI and MDI shows that development policies need to do more than just enhance infrastructure; they must actively work to dismantle long-standing social divides.

Hyderabad’s growth story is one of potential and complexity. The insights from this study remind us that for the city to truly flourish, development must be inclusive. This means urban policies that go beyond physical infrastructure to ensure equitable access to resources, opportunities, and a higher quality of life for all residents.

Satpathy and Jha’s work is not just a call for policymakers but a reflection for every Hyderabadi: a reminder that the city’s real strength lies not just in its historic monuments or IT hubs but in its ability to bridge divides and bring communities together by tackling the underlying social barriers that perpetuate segregation. By doing so, Hyderabad can become a city where history, culture, and modernity coexist not just in name, but in practice—ensuring that its growth benefits all residents equally.