The feet of the statue will rest on a lotus. A UK company that was chosen to design and build the prototype is called Casting Development Center. Everyone connected with the project is concerned. The weather is a problem in Bodhgaya and their fear is that the statue will be damaged by the elements. Corrosion is a problem during the rainy season.
Extreme temperatures are another critical factor.
The differences in temperatures during the day and at night will more than likely cause the giant statue to expand and contract as much as a foot a day. The late Tibetan Buddhist master, Lama Thubten Yeshe dreamed of the statue. His dream was championed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Good things are supposed to be the benefit from building the statue. By building the statue so big, it creates much more good karma, said the Maitreya Project.