AHMEDABAD: Following reports that work for 'Statue of Unity' - the memorial to Sardar Patel that would be the tallest statue in the world when completed - had been subcontracted to a foundry in China, the contractors for the project, Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T), on Wednesday, clarified that the statue is being built in India and the company is sourcing only bronze plates from China.

"The entire statue itself is being built in India at the site and only the bronze cladding in the form of bronze plates is being sourced from China, which constitutes a negligible amount of less than 9% of the total value of project," L&T said in an official statement.

The statue, a pet project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will be installed on Sadhu Bet near Sardar Sarovar dam and has been given the status of 'National Project'.

According to L&T, the plates are put together and erected on the core of reinforced concrete and structural steel at the Sadhu Hill site after assembly and welding. Thus, the notion of the statue in its entirety being shipped from China is a total misunderstanding, the company said. L&T was awarded the Statue of Unity project by the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust (SVPRET).

