Travel Policy

 

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish clear guidelines for employees undertaking official travel on behalf of CLIDE Consulting (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. (“the Company”).

This policy aims to ensure that official travel is properly authorized, expenses are reasonable and transparent, supporting documents are maintained, and reimbursements are processed systematically.

 

2. Scope and Applicability

This policy applies to all employees of the Company who travel for official purposes, including:

·       Travel to client locations and project sites.

·       Travel for safety audits, inspections, training programs, and consultancy assignments.

·       Travel for official meetings, recruitment, documentation, and administrative work.

·       Travel between project sites, offices, training venues, and other authorized business locations.

·       Any other travel approved by the Company for official work.

 

3. General Travel Guidelines

1.        Employees shall undertake travel only for authorized official purposes.

2.        Prior approval from the reporting manager, Project Manager, or designated authority must be obtained before travel, wherever practicable. 

3.        Employees shall plan their travel in a cost-effective and practical manner, considering safety, distance, time, and project requirements. 

4.        Employees are expected to select reasonable travel options and avoid unnecessary expenditure. 

5.        Any change in the approved travel plan must be communicated to the reporting manager and approved wherever required. 

6.        Employees shall maintain professional conduct and comply with client-site rules and Company instructions throughout their travel. 

 

4. Travel Booking and Mode of Transport

The mode of transport shall depend on the distance, urgency, availability, safety, and approval provided by the Company.

 

Mode of Travel	Guidelines
Train	Preferred for suitable distances where practical and economical.
Bus	Permitted through reasonable and safe services.
Air Travel	Permitted only with prior approval from the authorized management representative.
Taxi / Cab	Permitted where required for official travel, local movement, or when public transport is impractical, subject to approval.
Personal Vehicle	Use for official travel requires prior approval. Reimbursement will be governed by the applicable Company-approved rate or arrangement.
Local Public Transport	Permitted for official movement, subject to reasonable expenditure and supporting evidence.

 

Employees should book tickets sufficiently in advance wherever possible to obtain reasonable fares. 

Travel upgrades, premium services, or additional charges shall not be reimbursed unless approved in advance. 

 

5. Expenses Eligible for Reimbursement

The following expenses may be considered for reimbursement when incurred exclusively for authorized official travel: 

·       Train, bus, and approved air tickets. 

·       Approved taxi, cab, auto-rickshaw, and local transport charges. 

·       Hotel or accommodation expenses, where required and approved. 

·       Meals during official travel, subject to the Company's approved limits or applicable arrangements. 

·       Parking fees, toll charges, and other necessary road-travel expenses. 

·       Approved vehicle mileage or fuel expenses for official travel using a personal vehicle. 

·       Other necessary expenses directly related to official duties, provided they are approved and supported by appropriate documents. 

 

All reimbursements shall be subject to the reasonableness of the expense, applicable approval, and submission of supporting documents. 

 

6. Expenses Not Eligible for Reimbursement

The following expenses shall ordinarily not be reimbursed:

1.        Personal shopping, entertainment, sightseeing, or other personal expenses. 

2.        Expenses incurred for family members or other unauthorized persons. 

3.        Alcohol, tobacco, or other personal consumption expenses. 

4.        Traffic fines, penalties, or charges arising from an employee's negligence or violation of applicable rules. 

5.        Personal telephone calls, personal subscriptions, or unrelated purchases. 

6.        Premium travel, hotel upgrades, or luxury expenses without prior approval. 

7.        Duplicate claims or expenses already reimbursed by the Company, client, or any other party. 

8.        Expenses without adequate supporting documents, unless an exception is approved by authorized management. 

9.        Any expenditure that is unreasonable, unrelated to official work, or contrary to Company instructions. 

 

7. Employee-Funded Travel and Expense Policy

The Company currently follows an employee-funded reimbursement process. Accordingly: 

1.        Employees are required to initially bear approved official travel expenses from their own funds. 

2.        Employees should retain all tickets, invoices, receipts, payment confirmations, and other relevant supporting documents. 

3.        Employees must submit their monthly travel expense statement along with the supporting documents at the end of each month. 

4.        Reimbursement will be processed after the expenses have been reviewed and approved by the authorized person. 

5.        Approved travel expenses will ordinarily be reimbursed along with the employee's salary for the relevant payroll cycle, subject to timely submission, verification, and payroll processing requirements. 

6.        If documents are incomplete, submitted late, or require clarification, reimbursement may be deferred to a subsequent payroll cycle. 

7.        Employees must not assume that an expense is automatically reimbursable merely because it was incurred during travel. The expense must comply with this policy and applicable approvals. 

 

8. Monthly Travel Expense Submission Procedure

Employees must submit a consolidated statement of their official travel expenses for each calendar month.

The submission should include:

·       Employee name, designation, and employee ID, where applicable. 

·       Project name, client name, and location visited. 

·       Purpose of travel and dates of travel. 

·       Date-wise details of each expense. 

·       Expense category and amount. 

·       Supporting tickets, invoices, receipts, or other relevant evidence. 

·       Approval reference, where applicable. 

·       Total amount claimed for reimbursement. 

Submission deadline: By the last working day of the relevant month or by the specific monthly cut-off date communicated by HR/Accounts. 

For travel continuing across two months, expenses should be recorded against the month in which they were incurred. 

9. Supporting Documents and Proof of Expenses

Employees shall submit genuine and legible supporting documents, including: 

 

·       Travel tickets or booking confirmations. 

·       Hotel bills and invoices. 

·       Taxi, cab, and local transport receipts. 

·       Fuel bills and approved mileage records, wherever applicable. 

·       Toll and parking receipts, where available. 

·       Payment confirmations or other reasonable evidence for expenses where formal receipts are not issued. 

Where a receipt is unavailable, the employee must provide a written explanation and any alternative proof available. Reimbursement in such cases will be subject to approval by the authorized person. 

Employees must not submit altered, duplicate, fabricated, or misleading documents. 

10. Review, Approval, and Reimbursement Process

The reimbursement process shall generally follow these steps: 

 

·      Step 1: Official Travel - Employee obtains approval and undertakes travel. 

·      Step 2: Expense Records  - Employee retains tickets, receipts, and invoices. 

·      Step 3: Month-End Submission - Employee submits the expense statement with supporting documents. 

·      Step 4: Verification and Approval  - Reporting manager / Project Manager and Accounts verify the claim. 

·      Step 5: Reimbursement - Approved expenses are processed with salary, subject to payroll cut-off and verification. 

 

The Company may seek clarification or additional documents before approving a claim. Only verified and approved expenses will be reimbursed. 

 

11. Accommodation and Meals

1.        Employees requiring overnight accommodation for official work should obtain prior approval wherever practicable. 

2.        Accommodation should be safe, reasonably priced, and appropriate for the location and duration of the assignment. 

3.        Meal expenses should be reasonable and related to the official travel period. 

4.        Where meals or accommodation are provided by the client or the Company, employees shall not claim reimbursement for the same expense. 

5.        Any specific project-level arrangements or client requirements shall take precedence where formally communicated and approved by the Company.

 

12. Travel to Project Sites and Client Locations

Employees travelling to project sites shall:

 

·      Follow the client's entry, security, safety, and documentation requirements. 

·      Carry the necessary identification, gate pass, travel approvals, and other required documents. 

·      Coordinate travel arrangements with the site coordinator or reporting manager when required. 

·      Inform the reporting manager of arrival, departure, or material changes to the travel plan where required by the assignment. 

·      Avoid unauthorized travel or expenditure on behalf of the client or Company. 

·      Obtain approval before making any commitments or incurring significant additional expenses. 

 

13. Travel Changes and Cancellations

 

1.        Employees must inform the reporting manager promptly if a ticket, hotel, or other travel booking needs to be changed or cancelled. 

2.        Cancellation charges arising from official requirements or circumstances beyond the employee's reasonable control may be considered for reimbursement, subject to approval. 

3.        Cancellation charges arising from personal reasons, negligence, or failure to follow the approved travel plan may not be reimbursed unless specifically approved. 

4.        Refunds received against cancelled tickets or bookings must be disclosed and adjusted against the expense claim. 

 

14. Emergency and Unplanned Expenses

In case of an emergency, unexpected travel disruption, or unavoidable official expense, the employee should inform the reporting manager as soon as reasonably possible. 

Where prior approval is not practicable, the employee must provide the reason for the expense and supporting evidence after the event. Reimbursement shall be subject to review and approval. 

 

15. Employee Responsibilities

Every employee is responsible for:

·      Obtaining the required travel approval. 

·      Spending Company-related funds prudently, even when initially paid from personal funds. 

·      Maintaining accurate expense records and submitting claims on time. 

·      Ensuring that claims are complete, genuine, and supported by documents. 

·      Avoiding duplicate or personal expense claims. 

·      Cooperating with the reporting manager and Accounts team during verification. 

·      Reporting errors, duplicate payments, refunds, or incorrect reimbursements promptly. 

 

16. Late Submission of Claims

Employees are expected to submit their monthly claims within the prescribed deadline to facilitate reimbursement along with salary. 
 

Claims submitted after the deadline may be processed in the next available reimbursement or payroll cycle after verification and approval. Any exception to the submission deadline must be approved by the authorized management representative. 

17. Fraudulent or Incorrect Claims

Any intentional misrepresentation, false billing, duplicate claim, fabricated receipt, or misuse of the reimbursement process will be treated as a serious breach of Company policy. 

The Company may reject such claims and take appropriate action in accordance with its applicable policies and employment terms. 
 

If an incorrect reimbursement has already been paid, the Company may seek correction or recovery through a lawful and appropriate process. 

 

18. Exceptions and Policy Interpretation

Any exception to this policy must be approved in writing by the authorized management representative. 

The Company reserves the right to review, modify, or update this policy as business requirements, project conditions, or applicable legal requirements change. Any revised policy shall be communicated to employees. 

 

19. Policy Approval and Employee Acknowledgement

This policy shall come into effect from the date specified above and shall remain applicable until amended or withdrawn by the Company. 

All employees are expected to read, understand, and comply with the provisions of this policy.