Retention of Railway accommodation – on Deputation under CSS, Non-CSS and other than CSS: RBE No. 27/2026

Retention of Railway accommodation – on Deputation under CSS, Non-CSS and other than CSS: RBE No. 27/2026

RBE No. 027 /2026

भारत सरकार GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
रेल मंत्रालय MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
रेलवे बोर्ड RAILWAY BOARD

No. E (G) 2026 / Awas Niti/ QR /4

New Delhi, Date: 23 / 03/ 2026

The General Manager                       DG, CTIs
PHODs, CAO/C                                    DG, RDSO
All Indian Railways

Subject: Retention of railway accommodation – on Deputation

Instructions on retention of quarters on deputations have been issued from time to time in piecemeals or as case specific instruction/s. In order to bring policy consistency in similar deputations, the full Board in the exercise of the powers vested in it to make reasonable relaxations in public interest for a class / group of employees in all or any of the provisions regarding house allotment / retention have decided as under:

1. Deputation / Posting under Central Staffing Scheme (CSS)

   1. Instructions on retention of quarter on deputation /posting under CSS have been issued vide Railway Board RBE 100/2025 letter no. E (G) 2024 RN 2-12 dated 23.09.2025 wherein retention of railway accommodation @ normal license fee for the duration of deputation in the same city was permitted.
   2. In continuation and partial modification thereof, to bring uniformity across this category of deputation: Quarter may be retained @ normal license at previous place of posting on deputation under CSS for the duration of deputation. [note: This supersedes Railway Board letter no. E (G) 2008 QR 1-16 dt. 12.07.2018 on deputation to Central Ministries / Departments / CSS etc.]

2. Non-CSS Deputation / Posting in the Government:

   1. In order to bring uniformity across this category of deputation on the line of CSS deputation, and supersession of any previous instructions: Quarter may be retained @ normal license fee on deputation to Central Government Ministries / Departments; Government or Inter-Governmental Authority; NITI Aayog / UPSC/ CVC /Pay Commission; transfer /posting abroad by the Railway Board or MEA or Gol; etc. for the duration of deputation.
   2. Extant instructions vide RB letter no. E (G) 2003 QR 1-19 dt 02.09.2005 shall continue for retention of railway accommodation by Group A & B officers appointed as the personal staff of the President, the Prime Minister and Ministers in the Central Government.

3. Other non-CSS Deputations:

   1. Extant instructions on retention of railway quarters during deputation to various organisations are listed below:
      1. NCRTC vide RB letter no. E(G) 2019 RN 2-7 dated 06.01.2026.
      2. DFCCIL RB letter no. E (G) 2008 QR 1-15 (PSUs) dated 23.10.2025 read with RB letter no. E (G) 2008 QR 1-15 (PSUs) dated 10.05.2024.
      3. IRCON & RVNL vide RB letter no. E (G) 2023 QR 1-4 (PSUs) Pt dated 23.10.2025 and Railway PSUs vide RB letter no. E (G) 2023 QR 1-4 (PSUs) dated 10.04.2024.
      4. NHSRCL vide RB letter no. E (G) 2016 RN 2-1 dated 03.04.2025.
      5. JVs in partnership with M/o Railways vide RB letter no. E(G) 2017 RN 2-5 dt 06.01.2023.
      6. HRIDC for HORC (Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor) Project vide RB letter no. E (G) 2001 QR 1-14 Pt dated 12.05.2023.
      7. non-Railway PSUs /Statutory /Autonomous Bodies /Societies vide RB letter no. E(G) 2015 QR 1-3 dated 10.12.2015
   2. The extant instructions, ref. Railway PSUs vide RB letter no. E (G) 2023 QR 1-4 (PSUs) dated 10.04.2024, para 2.(1), stipulate that “Railway PSUs would provide leased accommodation to the officers of concerned Railways, for all houses retained by PSUs, as per officer’s choice according to Railway priority list, at the rate of lease entitlement for corresponding grade of officers of PSUs. However, if leased accommodation is not being utilised by the Railways, an amount equivalent to leased accommodation or HRA of the officer retaining accommodation, whichever is higher may be deposited with concerned Zonal Railway by PSUs.” In partial modification and extension thereof to consolidate instructions uniformly across this category of deputation and as an institutional pool balancing arrangement, quarter may be retained in accordance with instructions below:
      1. On depuation to Railway PSUs / RLDA / DMRC / MCD / NDMC / DDA, that have their own housing facility /quarters pool:
         Quarter may be retained @ normal licence fee subject to the condition (in line with extant provision under ref.) that the borrowing organsiation provides similar type in-lieu quarter or leased accommodation according to Railway priority list. However, if in-lieu quarter / leased accommodation is not being utilised / not required by the Railways, an amount equivalent to leased entitlement of corresponding grade in the borrowing organisation or HRA of the officer retaining accommodation, whichever is higher, may be deposited with concerned Zonal Railway.
      2. Deputation to non-Railway PSUs; Statutory /Autonomous Bodies / Societies; CRIS; SPVs; JVs set up in partnership with M/o Railways; DFCCIL; MRVC; NHSRCL; NCRTC; Metro; deputation where posting orders are issued by DOPT but are not a part of deputation under para-1 or para-2 and deputation not covered under para-3-II-A above, etc:
         Quarter may be retained @ normal license fee subject to the condition that the borrowing organisation:
         1. provides similar type in-lieu quarter /leased accommodation as per 2 or 3 location choices indicated by the railway administration. [Note: for the purposes of in-lieu quarters, the railway administration may take location preferences from waitlisted officers/ staff ]
            or
         2. pays an amount equivalent to leased entitlement of corresponding grade officer in the borrowing organisation or @ HRA of the deputationist officer retaining the accommodation, whichever is higher.
      3. Extant instructions on deputation to CRIS would continue to apply, save as partly modified herein at para-II-B above.
      4. Extant instructions on deputation to RLDA (ref. Railway Board RBE 75 / 2022 letter no. E (G) 2021 RN 2-2 dated 01.07.2022, para-1-viii read with para-2 therein) would continue to apply, save as partly modified at para-II-A above.

4. Retention of quarters in cases not covered under para 1 to 3 above may be regulated as per terms & conditions for retention of railway quarters if mentioned in the deputation / deputation vacancy notice circulated by the Railway Board.
5. Retention in all deputation cases would be subject to the provision that the employee is not in occupation of any other accommodation provided by the borrowing organization or GPRA at same station where quarter has been retained and that the employee /dependent family are staying in the retained railway quarter.
6. Cases already settled/ closed cannot be re-opened and all cases, pending / past / subsequent, shall be dealt with in the light of instant policy instructions.
7. The instant policy instructions exclude earmarked accommodation, retention of which would continue to be governed in terms of extant instructions vide Railway Board’s letter nos. E(G) 2001 RN4-10 dated 17.09.2002, para 7 of letter no. E (G) 2006 QR 1-14 (A) dated 20.11.2006, letter no. 2001/G(acc.)/5/17-Part IV dated 13.07.2001 & letter no. E(G)2022RN2-1 dated 05.04.2022 or as revised from time to time by the Board.

Please acknowledge receipt and ensure compliance.

Director /Estt. (Genl)
Railway Board
email: neelam.yadav16[@]gov.in

Click to view/download PDF

Follow us on Telegram Channel, Twitter and Facebook for all the latest updates