Kochi: The Kerala Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has intensified its enforcement against tourist buses from other states that operate without paying mandatory state road taxes.

In a large-scale inspection drive conducted in the early hours of Friday, officials intercepted multiple vehicles entering the state through Kochi.

According to MVD sources, the surprise operation began around 3 am to coincide with the arrival of long-distance tourist buses from Chennai, Bengaluru, and other neighbouring cities that reach Kerala during pre-dawn hours.

The department said the timing was crucial, as many such vehicles routinely enter the state under the radar to evade inspection.

A total of 28 buses were detained during the drive for a range of violations — from non-payment of road tax and overspeeding to the use of banned pressure horns. Officials confirmed that while these vehicles may hold All India Tourist Permits, they are still obligated to pay Kerala’s road tax when transporting passengers within state limits.

“An All India Permit does not exempt operators from state-level tax responsibilities,” a senior officer said. “We have noticed that several private tour operators exploit loopholes to avoid payments, which causes significant revenue loss to the state.”

To ensure minimal disruption for travellers, the MVD allowed the intercepted buses to first drop off passengers at their scheduled destinations before directing them to report to the respective regional transport offices for further proceedings.

Officials said the state would continue such surprise checks in the coming days, focusing on inter-state tourist buses entering via border checkpoints and major urban entry routes. The department also warned that repeat violators could face seizure of vehicles and suspension of permits.