14-A. (1) When it is possible to travel between two places either by alternative railways or by alternative roads, then travelling allowance for the journey by rail or by road, as the case may be, shall be calculated according to the route actually taken; provided that if—

(a) there is a considerable difference either in respect of the time taken on the journey or of its cost, between the route actually taken and any other route; and

(b) the controlling officer, after making such inquiry as he considers necessary, is not satisfied that it was in the interests of Government work that the journey should be performed by the longer route,

he may order the allowance to be calculated as if the journey had been performed by the shortest or cheapest route available.

NOTE—For journeys between Dehra Dun and Mussoorie and Landour the prescribed route is via the Sunny View Road. The route between Tanakpur and Almora is via Haldwani.

(2) When it is possible to travel between places either by rail or by road and the journey is actually made by road, then mileage allowance shall be calculated as if the journey had been by rail, unless (a) mileage allowance calculated by road is less expensive than mileage allowance calculated by rail, or (b) the controlling officer is satisfied that it was in the interest of government work that the journey should be made by road. In either case, the controlling officer should give a certificate to that effect on the travelling allowance bill; and in the latter case the certificate should also state briefly the reasons which rendered it necessary that the journey should be made by road instead of by rail.

(3) When it is not possible to travel between places by rail or the places are not connected by rail, the mileage allowance shall be calculated as if the journey had been performed by bus. Full road mileage allowance to which a government servant is entitled under rule 23(B)(2) may, however, be admitted in cases where the controlling officer is satisfied that it was in the interest of government work that the journey should be made by road. In such a case, the controlling officer should give a certificate to that effect on the travelling allowance bill. The certificate so recorded should also state briefly the reasons which rendered it necessary to perform the journey by road instead of by bus.

Explanation (l)—Where a journey between two places can be performed partly by rail and partly by road, then the journey cannot be said to have been performed between places not connected by rail; for instance, journey between Lucknow and Naini Tal cannot be said to be a journey between places not connected by rail and the journey between Kathgodam and Naini Tal only will be treated as journey between places not connected by rail.

(2)—In deciding whether any public interest is served by the journey by road which would not have been served had the officer travelled by rail or bus, the guiding factors should be such as the saving of public time, or inspection work on route, etc.

NOTE—(1) The certificate is not required in respect of journeys which the government servants of the Public Works Department, the Agricultural Engineering Department and Irrigation Department have to undertake within their jurisdiction involving road or en route inspections but it should invariably be given in respect of (1) journeys performed within jurisdiction between places connected by rail which do not involve such inspections,and (ii) journeys beyond jurisdiction.

NOTE—(2) [Deleted.]

NOTE—(3) A government servant should specify on his travelling allowance bill all relevant details of the means of conveyance used by him, and whether the vehicle was supplied by the Government, a Local Fund, Local Body or a Public Sector Undertaking or was it his own and the propulsion charges were paid by him or was it his own but the propulsion charges were paid by another government servant, or was it a hired (singly or jointly with another Government servant or servants) or borrowed, or whether he travelled by public motor service, etc.

If he claims road mileage allowance, he should, except in respect of journeys between residence or Collector’s Office and railway station, make out a single travelling allowance bill for each month claiming only for the first 1,200 kms. of all road journeys undertaken during the month and should also give the following certificate on the bill:

"Certified that the road journeys (excluding the journeys between residence or Collector’s Office and railway station) for which mileage allowance has been claimed in this bill for the month of __________19__________under rule 27(B) at the prescribed rates were performed by me as follows:

(i) __________kms. by motor car, motor truck, motor carrier, jeep car.

(ii) __________kms. by other means of conveyance.

Also certified that the said vehicle was—

my own and the propulsion charges of which were borne by me borrowed by me but propulsion charges were paid by me

and that I travelled in it alone/accompanied by government servants noted on the margin.

(Strike out whatever is irrelevant and/or substitute whatever is applicable).

Exception—In the case of an officer who is his own controlling officer in respect of certain classes of travelling allowance bills (e. g. District Magistrate for journeys within his jurisdiction), road mileage allowance may be claimed by him in a separate travelling allowance bill for each month in respect of such of the road journeys undertaken during the month for which he is empowered to act as his own controlling officer; provided that a copy of the prescribed certificate furnished by him in that connection is invariably attached to his claim for road mileage allowance in respect of the residual road journeys, if any, undertaken during the month for which some other officer may be the competent controlling officer; provided further that the road mileage allowances claimed in any one month in both the travelling allowance bills are only for the first 1,200 kilometres of all road journeys undertaken during the month other than those between residence or Collector’s Office and railway station.