Railway Order – Guidelines on Air Travel on Official Tours
Government of India / Bharat Sarkar
Ministry of Railways / Rail Mantralaya
(Railway Board)
RBE No. 201/2017
New Delhi, dated – 22.12.2017
No.F(E)I/2016/AL-28/25
The General Managers,
All Indian Railways etc.
(As per Standard Mailing List)
Sub: Guidelines on Air Travel on Official Tours.
Ref: Board’s letters of even number dated 16.05.16, 17.10.16, 22.08.17 & 21.09.17.
In Accordance with the Instructions Contained in the Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure’s O.M. Nos. 19024/1/2009-E-IV, dated 13.07.2009, 16.09.2010 & 28.07.2011 on the Subject, as communicated by Ministry of Civil Ablation, Certain guidelines (along with the proforma seeking relaxation, as issued by MoF) were circulated vide Board’s letter of even number dated 16.05.2016 regarding grant of permission to travel by airlines other than Air India for official air travel (both domestic and International) by railway officers. The guidelines, with the advice to furnish some additional particulars were reiterated and re-circulated for strict compliance vide Board’s letters of even number dated 17.10.2016 & 22.08.2017 regarding procedure of purchase of air tickets from authorized travel agents etc. were also circulated on Indian Railways vide Board’s vide Board’s letter of even number dated 21.09.2017.
2. However, it has been observed in some of the cases that;
(i) the requests seeking relaxation/permission to travel by airlines other than Air India are not being send in the prescribed proforma circulated by Ministry of Finance and are not accompanied by requisite documents like approved tour program and undertaking.
(ii) the proforma for exemption to travel by flight other than Air India is not signed by the officer travelling , and is in some instances signed by protocol Officer etc.
(iii) the requests seeking reimbursement of air journey performed in special circumstances are being received without complete particulars and requisite documents like approved tour program and undertaking etc. Also, in some cases the air tickets for which reimbursement is sought have been purchased from travel agents other than the travel agents authorized under MoF guidelines.
(iv) the above mentioned guidelines are not being observed by the Authority while approving the tour program and while referring cases to Board for approval.
3. It is therefore advised that;
(i) the requests seeking relaxation / permission/ reimbursement od air journey should be sent to Board in the Prescribed proforma,duly signed by the officer travelling & HOD etc, with all requisite documents like approved tour program and undertaking, as prescribed.
(ii) the Authority approving the tour programmed which includes Journey by private airlines should ensure that guidelines of Ministry of Finance circulated vide Board’s above referred letters are invariably being followed & complied with.
(iii) while referring cases to Board for sanction for reimbursement of air tickets, it may be ensured that the tickets have been purchased from authorized travel agents only as per MoF’s Instructions.
4. Strict compliance of the letter may be ensured .
5. Please acknowledge receipt.
(Sonali Chaturvedi)
Deputy Director Finance (Estt.)
Railway Board