Arvind Kejriwal, who will take over as Delhi’s CM today, has said that he and the other elected members of his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will use the metro to get to Ramlila Maidan for the swearing-in ceremony (see Nation section). While netas riding public transport to work is the photographers’ delight in Delhi, a few Mumbai politicians have always been travelling with the aam aadmi, preferring to leave their cars at home. One of them, Bandra (E) corporator Anil Trimbakkar, doesn’t even own a car, while Bhuleshwar corporator Yugandhara Salekar rides a scooter to work.andprofile the politicians.First elected in 2007The transition from a high-end red beacon-fitted car, allotted to Shubha Raul when she was Mumbai’s mayor for 33 months between 2007 and 2009 - to a BEST bus was “never a problem”, said the Shiv Sena leader, who is a corporator from Dahisar.Raul uses the local train to travel to south Mumbai, and the bus to reach her home in Dadar. “I have a car but public transport is fast and economical. I also have a smart card for the bus and train commute,” she said.Often, fellow commuters approach her on buses and trains with grievances. “I get to know of the problems people face… many come up with advice too,” she laughed.During one of the bus commutes, she was approached by a freedom fighter’s wife with a grievance.“The woman complained that she wasn’t able to avail of concession on BEST buses if she wasn’t travelling with her husband. I have asked the BEST administration to change the concession rules,” Raul said.Corporator since 2012Borvali corporator Manisha Chaudhary (left) travels with fellow corporators Asavari Patil (centre) and Beena Doshi (right) to south Mumbai on a second class compartment pass. As in-charge of the R-Central ward committee, she is entitled to a chauffer-driven car. “Driving to CST from Borivali is a nightmare. Take a train and you’ll not be late for meetings,” she said.At times when she does travel by the car, she said that car-pooling works best for her. “This way, we make sure we don’t waste money on fuel. Public transport is convenient and fast, I see no reason why it should not be preferred over private vehicles,” Chaudhary said.Corporator since 2012A first-time corporator, former banker Anil Trimbakkar was elected from Bandra (E) last year. He is entitled to a car, but travels second class on local trains.“I don’t have a car… don’t think I will even buy one because of traffic in the city. Trains work the best for me.” Trimbakkar travels to south Mumbai almost daily, and boards a Harbour line train to CST.“Instead of petrol allowance, corporators should be given train and bus passes. Basic public transport in Mumbai is better than most Indian cities. We as corporators should be promoting that. Just because I’m a corporator now doesn’t mean I stop using public transport and drive around in an official car,” he said.Corporator since 2012Alongside the red beacon-fitted cars outside the BMC headquarters stands a scooter. The entire BMC staff knows it belongs to Yugandhara Salekar, the corporator from Bhuleshwar. “I bought this scooter after I was elected to BMC,” she said proudly, “My husband has a car but ours is a space-crammed area and two-wheelers are the best bet here. Had I been living in the suburbs, I would have preferred public transport,” she said. Salekar said initially, people in her constituency were surprised to see a corporator zipping around on a scooter. “Where’s your official car, they would ask. Everyone in my constituency now knows I prefer a two-wheeler and I guess they too prefer to see me riding a scooter rather than being driven around in a car,” she said.First elected in 2007A dentist by profession, Balaji Kinikar, a 41-year-old MLA from Ambernath, gets off at CST and flags down a cab to travel to Vidhan Bhavan at Nariman Point for the Assembly session. Every Wednesday, when he makes it a point to visit the Mantralaya, the same routine is adhered to. “I’m a common man, have always been. Also, trains reach you to your destination quicker than most modes of transport, and I get to interact with people on board,” he said. “Another advantage is the railway officials, if they come to know that an MLA is on board, will keep the stations clean,” Kinikar laughed. The MLA has a quarterly first-class compartment pass (Ambernath to CST). “Trains are convenient and fast,” he said.MLC since 2004Mote, 60, was elected as Member of the Legislative Council eight years ago from the Teachers’ Constituency (he represents teachers from Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts). A resident of Ulhasnagar, Mote uses the train to reach his office in Kalyan as early as 7.30 am.“I do have a car, but trains and autorickshaws work the best for me. Train commute allows me to interact with people and understand their problems,” Mote said.He uses train for visits to the Mantralaya or the Vidhan Bhavan. “I have a Karjat-CST first-class compartment pass. Flagging down a cab or an autorickshaw outside railway stations is hardly a problem,” Mote, who is known to not miss a single day during the Legislature session, said.