New Delhi, Nov 14 (IANS): India's national capital has a lower crime rate than some of the other global cities even as its population density is high, income inequality stark and public transport usage low, says a Deutsche Bank study.

Released at the 13th Urban Age Conference here, the study compares the urban dynamics of Delhi with that of cities like London, Bogota, Lagos, Tokyo, New York, Istanbul and Berlin to look at the future of urban governance in the Indian capital.

The two-day conference was organised by an affiliate society of Deutsche Bank and the London School of Economics in partnership with National Institute of Urban Affairs. It attracted 60 experts from 22 cities and 10 countries across five continents.

"If smart urbanisation is our goal, technology is a crucial enabler. We already know why urbanisation has driven prosperity. Scale economies play a role," said Anshu Jain, chairman of the Alfred Herrhausen Society and co-chief executive of Deutsche Bank.

"Services like education, housing, power, water, sanitation and transportation, are up to 50 percent cheaper on a per-unit basis when people are clustered together. In addition, sharing of knowledge is much easier," Jain said.

"That's why the Indian government's 100 Smart Cities initiative is important. All of us, if we use a smartphone or a tablet and know how technology is transforming our lives, we can harness digital technology and big data to transform the way we manage our cities."

Jain said even though cities today account for just 2 percent of the world's landmass, they produce 80 percent of the global wealth. Over the next 30 years, a third of the economic growth will be generated in the top 100 cities.

Yet, he added, urbanisation has not brought prosperity for all. Worldwide, one billion people - or one-seventh of the human race, live in the most deprived parts of cities, he said.

"That number will double by 2030."

According to Joan Clos, executive director at UN Habitat, governments and planers were falling short on how they plan, build and manage cities and thereby failing in creating a sustainable future for trhe present and future generations.

"If urbanisation is to be truly inclusive and sustainable, participatory mechanisms and integrated human settlements planning and management practices are crucial," Clos said at the conference.

The highlights of the study released at the conference, pertaining to Delhi:

- It has a relatively low-rise urban landscape but high density of built up area

- It scores well with low level of violent crime measured by the murder rate

- Density of built-up area is twice that of New York or Tokyo

- Along with China, it will have the largest number of megacities of over 10 million people by 2030

- Its projected increase in per capita income is one of the largest amongst selected global cities

- Its voter turnout one of the highest among global cities

- Just 42 percent of trips made by its residents is by public transport

- Its cost of bus ticket 10 times cheaper than in London, Tokyo and New York and three times lower than in Lagos

- At 131 cars per 1,000 people, the density is less than London’s 307 and Berlin’s 334

- Yet, pollution is twice the level of Lagos and over 10 times that of Berlin, New York, London and Tokyo.