Bengaluru: The construction work on the 108 feet tall Kempegowda statue at the Kempegowda International Airport in Karnataka's Bengaluru has been expedited following the delivery of a 4,000 kg sword, which will be affixed to the statue.The statue is being constructed in a 23-acre heritage park being developed within the premises of the airport named after Kempegowda, the founder of Bengaluru.There is a plan to make the statue the centerpiece of the airport. Those traveling to or from Bengaluru will have the chance of witnessing the 'architectural marvel'. On Monday, a special truck brought the sword from New Delhi to Bengaluru.Karnataka Minister for Higher Education CN Ashwath Narayan welcomed the 35-foot-long sword. In a statement, Narayan's office said that priests conducted 'shakti puja' on the occasion and Narayan participated in the ceremony.It is estimated that the statue will cost Rs 85 crore. Erecting the statue is Padma Bhushan-awardee Ram V Sutar. Ram V Sutar is a sculptor, who belongs to Maharashtra's Dhulia district. He graduated with a Gold medal from JJ School of Art, Bombay. One of the largest companies in India that creates monumental sculptures is Ram Sutar Fine Arts Private Limited. The Clay Modeling Studio is situated in Sector-63 of Noida in Uttar Pradesh.Besides designing the Statue of Unity in Gujarat depicting the late statesman Vallabhbhai Patel, Sutar also crafted the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the Vidhan Soudha in Bengaluru.