Use of Staff Cars

             2101. Rule regulating the use of staff cars by the officers in the Railway Board’s Office and on the Railway are laid down in the following paragraphs. 

             2102. The following journeys shall be regarded as having been performed on duty:—

(i)	Journeys between an officer's residence and the Railway station /aerodrome or between office and Railway station /aerodrome when proceeding on or returning from a tour whether at Headquarters or at out station.
(ii)	In the case of railway officers coming to Delhi on duty journeys between Railway Board's office or others places which they are required to visit on duty and the place where the officer stays;
(iii)	Journeys to attend ceremonies, receptions in an official capacity and official lunch given to distinguished visitors. When courtesy invitations are received and official etiquetue requires the acceptance of such invitations, the use of staff car for such journeys may be authorized at the discretion of the General Manager.
(iv)	Journeys between an officer's residence and office when performed for official purposes outside normal office hours including Sundays and holidays.
(v)	To maintain a uniformity over all the railways-
	(a)	For the purposes of booking a staff car on duty from officer's office to residence and vice versa, a time gap of not less than one hour from opening and closing of office should be specified
		(No. E (G) 76 AL4-10 dt. 24-5.78).
	(b)	Journeys in official cases (subject to availability) between office and residence may treated as duty journeys in case of all officers in the senior administrative grade in the field in the grade of pay Rs. 5900-6700 and above. The level-II officers are also eligible far, this facility if they are be treated as duty journeys in case of all Heads of Department in the field and are also in the above mentioned scale (s) of pay.
		However, the above is only a permissible provision and this by itself should not give rise to any fresh demands from Railway administrations for procurement of additional staff cars.
		(No. E(G)85 AL4-2 of 28-2-85, 13-5-85 and 25-4-86)
	(c)	Staff cars and other government vehicles are a government property and therefore these should not be garaged in officer’s residence except where the residence may be located within the office complex as in certain construction office.
		(No; E (G) 76 AL4-10 dt. 24-5-78)
	(d)	( i),( ii) and( iii ) deleted
		(Authority Railway Board letter No. E(G)98 LE-I/1 dated 6-11-98)

             2103. No charges are recoverable from an officer for using a staff car on duty Journeys but an officer not using a staff car shall not be entitled to any taxi hire if not otherwise eligible under the normal rules.

             2104. The officers using staff cars will not raw road mileage for such journeys and should invariably record a certificate whenever charging mileage allowance in the travelling allowance Bills whether or not staff car was used by them. 

             2105. The use of staff cars is also permitted for non duty purposes subject to the following conditions:- 

            (a) Duty journeys will have preference over non duty journeys; 

            (b) The use of staff cars will not be permissible for private pleasure trips and for journeys to places of public amusement, entertainment etc. 

            (c) The charges for the use of staff car will be P*………..per K.M., the mileage being calculated from the garage (or the point from which the car is obtained) to the point at which it is released plus the distance from the latter point to the garage or office, as the case may be. When more than one officer performs the same journey in the staff car charge at the rate of*........:... Paise a K.M. Will be recovered from each of the officers separately. 

            *To be determined by the administration in consultation with the Financial Advisor and Chief Accounts Officer.

             2106. Charges at the rate of 1.75 per Km for small staff cars of not more than 18 horse-power by Royal Automobile Club rating and at a rate of Rs. 2.45 per Km for big staff cars of more than 18 horse-power will be charged for the use of staff cars on non-duty Journeys. Charges at this rate would be recoverable for distance covered by a staff car from the time it leaves office/garage till it returns to office/garage. In addition detention charge @ Rs. 2 per hour will be leviable if the staff car is detailed for non-duty purposes.

             2107. While it is open to Railway Administrations to frame detailed rules keeping in view the local conditions, it is imperative that staff cars should be placed under the control of an officer not below the rank of Assistant Secretary who will act as controlling officer in respect of the staff car. He will be responsible for the proper use, care and maintenance of the staff car and will regulate its journeys generally in accordance with these rules. 

             2108. The Controlling Officer will maintain:- 

            (a) A log book showing the movements of the vehicle in respect of all journeys (both on duty and otherwise) as also empty journeys from the garage to the office at the commencement of the day or back to the garage at the end of the day or when going to fetch an officer or returning after leaving an officer etc. 

            (b) A register showing spare parts and other equipment of the vehicle should be checked and countersigned by the controlling officer monthly. This monthly certificate of the controlling officer after taking inventory of the equipment should record either that there are no shortages or damages of equipment or that recovery should not be made from any particular person for any shortages or damage noticed. 

            (c) A register showing repairs, servicing, replacement of parts etc., together with the dates on which such repairs, servicing or replacement are done. Particulars of bills, if any, from an outside party received and transmitted to the Account Officer should be recorded against each such item of repairs or servicing as far as possible and also any other items of expenditure met from imprest cash or receipts from non-duty journeys of the car.

            Drawal of petrol or engine oil from the stock or a petrol station should be covered by an authority issued by the controlling Officer and a monthly memo of adjustment should be prepared and transmitted to the account officer concerned. 

             2109. The controlling Officer will have the vehicle tested every six months regarding fitness for journeys and place a report on record and also submit a half-yearly report on the expenditure incurred on the car. The controlling officer when vacating the post on transfer, leave etc., will also ensure that the vehicle is handed over to his successor with complete equipment and have the fact mentioned in the handing over report. 

              2110. Officers may not drive the staff car.  

             2111. In the event of an accident, a report by telephone should be immediately made to the Controlling officer and an account of the accident sent later in writing. 

             2112. (1) If the car is used before or after normal duty hours or on Sundays and closed holidays for non- duty journeys, an extra charge at the rate of*……….per hour or fraction of an hour should be levied.

            *To be determined by the administration in consultation with the Financial Advisor and Chief Accounts Officer.

            (2) However, staff cars may not be used for private purposes. Only service vehicles may be permitted for non-duty purposes in emergencies when no other alternate mode of transport is available. Such a permission must be given in writing by con­trolling officer of the vehicle.

            (Riy. Bd's letter No. E(G)79AL4-13 dt. 26.10.70 & 8-1-80)

            Use of Staff cars for non-duty purpose by senior Railway officials where the overall reduced limit of consumption of petrol in areas where no suitable alternative mode of transport is available may be permitted. Such permission should be given personally in writing by the officer controlling the vehicle. 

            (3) In the light of difficulties being experienced by the Railway employees posted in far off localities/ remote areas as well as the practice being followed in defense service Establishments it has been decided that the use of government service vehicles for transporting children of Railway employees to school on payment may be allowed wherever there is genuine hardships on transport or where there is service disruption of transportation arrangements made by the school authorities themselves. Such use may be permitted ensuring that the government work does not suffer on this account.  

            The facility should be sanctioned by the general Manager personally with the concurrence of FA & CAO and power should not be delegated to any lower authority. 

            The charges for the purpose may be settled by the General Managers in consultation with FA & CAOs. 

            Buses/Vehicles for the exclusive needs of transportation of children to schools may not be normally justified but the exceptional cases of stations where there is total absence of any public transport system, General Manager may consider such facilities under DF-Staff Welfare, when the facility is not exclusive to any particular group, but to the generality of the railway population involved. These powers may be exercised by General Managers personally but sparingly and always with the concurrence of FA & CAO.

            (No. E (G) 83 AL4-5 dt. 15-3-85)

             2113. The Controlling Officer will be personally responsible for the proper and prompt recovery of charges and for their accountal to Government.