Tour & Travel (Domestic) Policy
Corporate HR
Employee Tour & Travel Policy (Domestic)
1. Objective: To lay down the grade-wise entitlements of various expenses incurred by the employees
while traveling on official work within India.
2. Eligibility: Applicable to all the employees of xxxxx & its subsidiaries, Associates.
3. Sanctioning Authority:
For any tour on official purpose, the employees have to fill-up a Travel Requisition Form (TRF),
(attached in the annexure) & get it approved by the respective approving authorities (as per the matrix
mentioned below) before submitting to Travel helpdesk (**) for procuring tickets.
Employees based at branch/regional offices should submit the approved TRF to the respective regional
Admn / Accounts.
Grade-wise Travel Requisition Approval Authority matrix
Approving
Sr. Grade Authority
1 CS - 1 & 2 MD / Director / ED
2 CS - 3 CS – 1 ‘or’ CS - 2
3 CS - 4 CS - 3
4 CS - 5, 6, 7 & MT Chief Manager in CS - 4
Travel Helpdesk: The proposed Travel helpdesk is a value added service based at HO and corporate
HR / Admin team would facilitate its operations. The travel helpdesk would be responsible to handle the
entire gamut of activities related to all the domestic as well international travels.
However, the existing practice of booking of tickets / hotels etc would continue till the modus operandi of
proposed travel desk is announced officially.
4. Definition of Tour:
An employee is deemed to be on tour, if he/she visits a place not less than 100 km. from the origin to
destination and/or requires over night stay at the destination.
5. City categorization:
Cat Cities
A Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad & Ahmedabad
Other state capitals except those mentioned under cat - ‘A’ & Nagpur,
B
Pune, Nasik, Aurangabad, Cochin.
C All other cities than those mentioned in cat - A & B
6. Entitlements related to domestic travels:
6.1 Mode of Travel: Though the specific mode of travel applicable to employees in various grades are
mentioned in the attached matrix, Air travel, because of high cost implication, should always be used as
Secondary mode of travel.
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Tour & Travel (Domestic) Policy
Corporate HR
1-way distance
Grade (Base - Destination) Mode of travel
< 400 kms Train (AC - II/1st class)
Executive
Director
Director
>= 400 kms Air (Economy) ( Apex/ Auction/ discounted fares, No Frill airlines)
&
For any distance, where the flying time is 2 hrs. or more, employees in this grade, may prefer Air
Travel in Business Class
CS - 1 < 400 kms Train (AC - II / 1st Class)
CS - 2 >= 400 kms Air (Economy) ( Apex/ Auction/ discounted fares, No Frill airlines)
Train (AC - II/1st class)
In case of business exigency or time constraints, Air (Economy)
< 400 kms
CS - 3 (Apex/ Auction/ discounted fares, No Frill airlines) could be availed with prior
Special Approval of respective HOD
>= 400 kms Air (Economy) ( Apex/ Auction/ discounted fares, No Frill airlines)
Train (AC - II/1st class)
CS - 4 In case of business exigency or time constraints, Air (Economy) (Apex/
Any
(*) Auction/ discounted fares, No Frill airlines) could be availed with prior special
Approval of respective HOD
CS - 5 Any Train (AC - III/II), Air travel is NOT permitted
CS - 6
Any Train (Sleeper - III tier), Air travel is NOT permitted
CS - 7
• Senior Employee, who are required to travel frequently by air, should use ‘Apex / Auction / discount
coupons ’ available from various airlines on special schemes like Super Sixer etc. Employees are
encouraged to use No Frill airlines, wherever possible.
• Air travel with Normal fair will NOT be approved at any circumstances.
• Because of non-availability of any other mode of travel, Employees, irrespective of their grades, traveling
to north-east states (Sikkim, Manipur, Mijoram, Nagaland etc.) of the country will be eligible to use ‘Air’
(Apex / Auction / discount coupons, No Frill airlines) as the Primary mode of travel.
(*) Note:
I. Chief Managers in CS -4 are eligible for Air travel (Apex / Auction / discount coupons / No frills) as
primary mode of travel.
II. In case, the To & fro Air fare (Apex / Auction / discount coupons / No frills) of the proposed travel is less
than the amount equivalent to 1 & 1/2 times of the train fare and the journey by train takes 24 hrs or
more, Sr. Managers & Managers in CS-4 will be eligible to use Air (Apex / Auction / discount coupons /
No frills) as the Primary mode of travel .
6.2 Expenses incurred while traveling (En-route): Expenses incurred during the journey (In-Transit) on
account of food, tips, porterage etc. would be reimbursed as per the below -mentioned norms -
i) For half-day journeys (Journey time: 12 - 24 hrs): Rs. 120 per day
ii) For journeys taking 24 hours or more (Journey time: more than 24 hrs): Rs. 240 per day
6.3 Lodging & Boarding: The grade-wise entitlements of daily lodging & boarding expenses are specified
in the below -mentioned matrix and are inclusive of miscellaneous expenses like laundry, tips, porterage
etc.
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Tour & Travel (Domestic) Policy
Corporate HR
Total Expenses
Lodging Boarding
City Category
(Lodging +
Expenses Expenses (*)
Boarding)
(If stays in
hotel, in CPA
Grade
absence of
CPA) Hotel (@60%) Hotel CPA
A 4000 1000 600 5000 600
ED, Dir B 3000 1000 600 4000 600
C 2500 500 300 3000 300
A 3000 1000 600 4000 600
CS - 1
B 2500 500 300 3000 300
CS - 2
C 2000 500 300 2500 300
A 2500 500 300 3000 300
CS - 3 B 2000 500 300 2500 300
C 1500 500 300 2000 300
A 2000 500 300 2500 300
CS - 4 B 1500 500 300 2000 300
C 1250 500 300 1750 300
A 1250 250 150 1500 150
CS - 5 B 1000 250 150 1250 150
C 750 250 150 1000 150
A 1000 250 150 1250 150
CS - 6
B 750 250 150 1000 150
CS - 7
C 500 200 120 700 120
(*) Boarding Expenses includes food, miscellanies & Incidental expenses
CPA = Company Provided Accommodation
6.3.1 Company provided Accommodation (CPA): Employees while traveling on official purpose should stay
in company provided accommodation , wherever available.
• Employees intending to travel to a particular location should inform the Travel helpdesk in advance,
so that the necessary arrangements could be done.
• Necessary arrangements to provide meals may also be done with prior confirmation of date & time
of visit.
• Meals, snacks etc. bought occasionally from outside would be reimbursed on actual , subject to @
60% of maximum daily entitlement allowed while staying in hotel , specified in the above-mentioned
eligibility matrix.
6.3.2 Hotel: Travel helpdesk with the help from Corporate Administration will facilitate a country-wide tie-up
with identified chain of hotels covering most of the possible travel locations in the country and in case of
non-availability of company provided accommodation in traveled location, employees may avail the hotel
accommodation as per their respective individual grade-wise entitlements as specified in the above-
mentioned eligibility matrix.
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Corporate HR
Employees should inform the Travel helpdesk in advance so as to initiate the necessary lodging
arrangements at the tr aveled locations.
• When a team comprising employees of different grades, is traveling together for a common
assignment, the stay of the entire team could be approved in the same hotel (specified for higher
grades) on Twin sharing basis, in order to maintain the spirit & moral of the team.
• In case of 2 employees staying in the same room on Twin sharing basis, the entitlement for each of
them would become @75% of their individual maximum eligibility.
e.g. Suppose, 2 employees of CS – 3 share a room in a Cat – A city, though their individual eligibility
is @ Rs. 2500 each, in this case, since they are sharing the same room, they would be eligible to
claim Rs. 3750 (75% of combined eligibility).
• In case the boarding expense incurred on a particular day is less than the prescribed daily limit, the
balance amount can be used on next day, provided the total expense incurred during the entire
Travel period doesn’t exceed the maximum limit.
• Expenses on Personal consumption of cigarettes & alcohol while staying in the hotel will not be
reimbursed at any point of time.
6.3.3 Personal Arrangements: Employees neither availing company guesthouse, nor the hotel facility, will be
eligible to a daily allowance equivalent to his/her respective grade-wise daily boarding entitlement & @
25% of daily lodging entitlement (as specified in the eligibility matrix) clubbed together. Employees
availing this benefit will not be eligible to reimbursement of any further expenses.
6.4 Local Conveyance: Employees may use local conveyance as per their individual grade-wise
entitlements as specified below -
1-way
distance
Grade
(from base to
destination) Mode of Local Conveyance
ED, Dir Any Private hired car (Type - A) (AC)
< 150 kms Public taxi
CS - 1
CS - 2
> 150 kms Private hired car (Type - A) (AC)
< 150 kms Private hired car (Type - B) (AC)
CS - 3
> 150 kms Public taxi
Any Public taxi / Auto
CS - 4
In case of business exigency, Private hired car (Type - B) (AC)
can be used for distance > 150 kms (with special approval)
CS - 5
CS - 6 Any Auto, Public transport
CS - 7
Car
Grade Car Made/Model
Type
ED, Dir Honda City, Hyundai Accent, Maruti Esteem,
A
CS – 1 & CS - 2 Ford (Icon), Tata Indigo
CS – 3 & CS - 4 B Tata Indica, Santro, Ambassador
CS – 5, 6 & 7 C Maruti 800, OMNI, Ambassador
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Tour & Travel (Domestic) Policy
Corporate HR
6.4.1 If the office vehicle is available at the traveled location, the employees must use the same as the priority
mode of travel for local journeys.
6.4.2 In case of local over night journey, the employees should try to use Train as the priority mode of travel .
Over night journeys in two-wheelers are strongly discouraged for reasons of safety.
6.4.3 Employees may also use bus services for day/over night journeys from the primary travel location and
the expenses incurred would be reimbursed on actual , subject to submission of bills, tickets etc. in
original.
6.4.4 Employees may use their own vehicles for official purpose & will be reimbursed on the following basis - Deleted: e
• Two-wheeler (Scooter, Motor bike etc): @ Rs. 2.50 / - Per kilometer
• Car: @ Rs. 5 / - Per kilometer
6.5 Telephone Expenses: Employees, while travel ing, should avoid using hotel phones for making official
calls. They can use the cell phones to make personal calls, which should be identified in the monthly bills
while claiming the monthly reimbursements.
6.6 Non-Reimbursable Expenses: Employees should not claim the reimbursements of following
expenses –
• Personal airfare or any upgrade charges
• Trip insurance
• Repair, maintenance of briefcases, luggage or similar items
• Loss of cash or other personal property due to negligence
• Unsanctioned trips, entertai nment, gifts or donations
• Personal medical supplies
• Other travel expenses considered as ‘not necessary’ during the trip
7. Reimbursement of Travel Expenses: While traveling on official purpose, employees are advised to
incur all the expenses themselves and submit all the bills, receipts etc., in original , to Accounts (HO) for
claiming the reimbursement.
While submitting such claims the below -mentioned guidelines to be followed -
i. All such claims for reimbursements should be submitted within 7 days of completion of the trip
ii. While submitting the Travel Expenses claim, it should be accompanied with the below -mentioned
documents in original –
• Travel by Train: Tickets checked by Railways . In case of unavailability of original train tickets,
the employee should submit a declaration in this respect mentioning all the related details like
Train name, number, date of journey, PNR number etc.
• Travel by Air: Ticket
iii. No reimbursement would be made in absence of original bills/receipts etc.
iii. In case of Employees based at the branch/regional offices , the same needs to be submitted to the
respective regional accountant/Regional head for further processing.
iv. While incurring expenses, all the bills/receipts etc. should be drawn in company’s name .
Bills/receipts drawn on individual name would NOT be treated as expenses related to official travel
and hence, would not be considered for reimbursement .
8. Tour Report:
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Tour & Travel (Domestic) Policy
Corporate HR
Employees in CS-4, 5, 6 & 7 need to submit a Tour Report (format attached in annexure) to the
respective HODs immediately after coming back from the tour.
9. Travel Expenses budget:
• To make a provision for the annual travel expenses in the company budget, the concerned
business/functional heads are required to prepare and submit a ‘Quarterly Tours & Travel expenses
budget’ for their respective functions/teams & get it approved at the start of the financial year.
• Although the individual eligibilities for various benefits for employees in different functions & grades have
been defined, those should be treated as the maximum limits and it is the responsibility of the concerned
business or functional heads to ensure that, the actual Travel expenses of their respective teams should
never exceed the ‘quarterly budgeted amount’ approved for this purpose.
Process Plan
Step - I: Approval of Travel Requisition & Issue of Coupons/tickets:
HO:
Travel Helpdesk
Employee Approved TRF (SPOC for all travel
related issues)
Ticket / Coupon
TRF
Approval
HOD
Branch/Region:
Regional Admn
Employee Regional Accounts
Approved TRF
Regional Head
Ticket / Coupon
TRF
Approval
Accounts
Monthly MIS
HOD (HO)
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Corporate HR
Step - II: Claiming the Travel expenses Reimbursement:
HO:
Travel Expenses Reimbursement form Accounts
Employee (along with all bills/receipts etc.) (HO)
Checks the eligibility
Reimbursement done
Branch/Region:
Accounts
Employee Travel Expenses Reimbursement form (Regional) /
(along with all bills/receipts etc.)
Regional Heads
Reimbursement done
Accounts
Monthly MIS of Travel reimbursements made
(HO)
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