City Engineer B K Desai told Express Newsline that nearly 12 dumpers, each carrying around 10 tonne material, were used to patchwork the roads. Initially priority is being accorded to main roads, he said, adding on Tuesday the Sayajigunj road leading towards Railway Station, Waghodia Road and other main roads were taken up.

Attributing the delay to heavy rains, Desai said even a single day's rain could render the VMC's hot-mix plant unoperational for at least five days due to dampness.

According to highly placed sources, the demand follows a State Government's letter seeking details of the damage. The sources, however, added that there were slim chances of getting the amount, as the state government had since the last two years not sanctioned the proposed sum. Last, the government had released more than Rs 75 lakh during Municipal Commissioner N R Varsani's tenure a few years ago.

Visit to Rajkot: Municipal Commissioner G R Aloria, Mayor Bharati Vyas, Deputy Mayor Dinesh Chokshi, Standing Committee Chairman N V Patel and City Engineer B K Desai will pay a day's visit to Rajkot on Wednesday to study the civic works carried out there. They will also hold talks with officers of the Rajkot Nagrik Bank to procure loan.

The VMC had recently held meetings with representatives of Co-operative banks to procure loans. The civic body requires nearly Rs 1 crore to carry out various developmental works. The Standing Committee had also passed a proposal to initiate process to seek loans from co-operative banks. Until now, the VMC was not seeking loans from co-operative banks due to some technical problems.

Following representation by Vyas, Finance, Revenue and Petrochemicals Minister Vajubhai Vala had assured to make amendments in the Co-operative Act. Vyas said that after conducting the study, the VMC might take a leaf from civic works carried out in Rajkot.

Meanwhile, the VMC on Tuesday wrote letters to various banks of the city, including State Bank of Saurashtra, Corporation Bank and Anyonya Sahakari Bank, to procure loans. The amount will be used to lay model roads, set up sewage treatment plants and develop ring roads.

Councillors' Visit: A team of councillors will visit Idar on Wednesday to study measures taken to tackle stray cattle menace. Former mayors Shabdsharan Brahmbhatt and Ratilal Desai, former deputy mayor Bhupendra Patel and councillor Magan Desai will be among those who will visit Edar. In Vadodara, the VMC had suggested a land in Dena, near Harni as an alternative site for rabaris. However, the effort failed as the rabaris wanted it free, which was not acceptable to the VMC.

Sheds removed: The VMC on Tuesday removed unauthorised sheds from an open plot opposite it's Subhanpura ward office. Similar encroachment was cleared from Fatehgunj and Alembic bridge. The encroachment removal squad also seized pots and other earthen materials, as the owner, operating from a roadside near the VIP circle, had not taken permission.