“Let’s celebrate my birthday party, on the road near Cable Bridge/IKEA/Durgam Cheruvu/Khajaguda Lake Road.” This must be an unusual invite for a birthday party, unless you are a young professional or a student in Hyderabad.
In a recent social media post that went viral, an otherwise secluded road with wide dividers was ‘hosting’ over 10 birthday cake-cutting parties happening at the same time. While many considered the trend as just another social media fad, it raises broader questions about urban spaces, affordability, and women’s access to public spaces after dark.
Shrinking Public Hangout Spots
For many students and young professionals, celebrating birthdays at cafés and restaurants can be unaffordable and expensive. A simple gathering often involves booking tables, ordering food, and meeting minimum spending requirements. In contrast, road dividers offer a free and easily accessible space where friends can gather without financial constraints.
Urban sociologists often describe such informal gathering spots as “third spaces”- places that exist outside the home and workplace or educational institutions. In many Indian cities, affordable and accessible third spaces remain limited, especially during late evening hours or Nights. Parks close early, while cafés and restaurants require spending money to even enter the space.
The trend also highlights gendered access to public spaces. Men have traditionally occupied tea stalls, roadside eateries, and street corners as social spaces.
Women, however, continue to face social judgment and safety concerns when spending time in public spaces at night. For some young women, gathering on a well-lit divider surrounded by traffic and people may feel safer than secluded locations like tea-stalls and road-side eateries.
The trend has also been popularized by social media. As videos of divider celebrations gained popularity, more groups began recreating them, turning certain stretches of the city into recognizable birthday hotspots.
Road Safety Concerns
However, the practice has sparked debate among residents and road safety experts. Critics argue that celebrations on dividers can distract people while driving and create safety risks for both – people celebrating and commuters at the same time. People raised concerns for the litters after the celebration and urged to clean the area after the celebration. Others question whether city infrastructure designed for traffic should be transformed into social or hangout spaces.
Beyond the viral videos and birthday cakes, the trend reflects a larger urban reality. The popularity of divider celebrations suggests a demand for free, safe, and inclusive public spaces where young people, especially women, where they can gather and celebrate without restrictions or any safety concerns at night.
As Hyderabad continues to grow and expand to become a 24/7 city, the sight of birthday decorations-balloons, cakes, and candles glowing on concrete dividers may be less about celebration and more about what the city still fails to provide, a safe third space, especially for women.
In the era of open spaces increasingly diminishing and becoming a thing which are only available in closed housing societies, providing access becomes the key. Instead of clamping down people who attempt to have a moment with their friends, local authorities can look into establish more open spaces, including parks, selfie spots, etc., and provide security to them, which will open up more avenues to people who live in smaller spaces like PGs, hostels, etc.
(This article is written by Divya Sharma, a student of Kristu Jayanti Deemed to be University, interning with Deccan Chronicle.)
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
