Delhi chief minister’s MP son has a cycle parking problem

East Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit has a peculiar problem when it comes to parliament security.

While he is allowed into parliament premises, his vehicle is not, even as other MPs merrily zip past him in jazzy cars. Reason: Dikshit is one of two Lok Sabha MPs who prefers to cycle to work. Sandeep is the only son of Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit.
All vehicles entering parliament are tagged and labelled, but Dikshit’s humble bicycle is not tagged.

“I have cycled to parliament in the last session also, but was not allowed entry into the premises because my vehicle was not tagged. I am forced to park my bicycle at the Transport Bhavan nearby (which houses the shipping ministry) or on Parliament Street with no guarantee whether I will find it when I return from the House,” he said.

At a meeting of the departmental committee on environment, however, he raised the issue as a green concern. He found unexpected support from Biju Janata Dal MP Bratruhari Mahtab who also said that he would prefer to cycle to parliament and that he too would like a designated parking space.

Speaker Meira Kumar has promised to consider the matter. Dikshit, however, is clear that he was cycling more for health benefits than reducing any carbon footprint.

“Actually I feel its better exercise than anything,” he said.

In fact, environment minister Jairam Ramesh has been urging parliament officials to walk the short distances between the various buildings rather than take their cars.

Unless parliament changes its cycle parking policy, it seems Ramesh will have to persuade the MPs a lot.