A Tale of Twin City: Analogy of Growth and Decay in Present and Future

This paper presents a comparative spatial analysis of urban growth and decline trends in the Indian cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. While geographically proximate, the two cities have experienced markedly different urbanization trajectories shaped by their contrasting origins, planning regimes, and governance. Historic Cuttack reflects an organic morphology with a dense, convoluted core and incremental peripheral growth. Planned Bhubaneswar exhibits an orderly layout with designated functional zones radiating from the center. However, both cities grapple with emerging challenges including deteriorating heritage cores, unmanaged peri-urban expansion, inadequate infrastructure in informal settlements, and spatial disparities