Fact Check: Viral image of bridge falsely attributed to Mumbai; it’s from China

Hyderabad: An image of a bridge built amid the sea is making rounds on various social media platforms. The claim suggests that the photo is from Mumbai. It’s being linked with the BJP’s slogan ‘crossing 400’ ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.

A Facebook user, shared the viral image on April 24, remarking, “This isn’t America or China; it’s Mumbai's highway. Take a tour, and it will surpass 400 just like this.”

Similar posts were also spotted on Threads, Facebook and X as well. Click here, here, here and here to view more posts.

However, this isn’t the first time the image has circulated on social media with claims of it being from Mumbai. NewsMeter found that the same image was shared in 2023 as well.

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is false as the image shows the Jiaozhou Bay bridge is 26 miles long and links China’s eastern port city of Qingdao to the island of Huangdao, not a bridge from Mumbai.

We initiated our investigation with a reverse image search, we found that the image was posted on a stock image platform named Alamy Stock Photo. It was uploaded about a decade ago, on June 27, 2011. The description alongside the image clarified that it depicts vehicles navigating the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, also recognized as the Qingdao Gulf Bridge, located in Qingdao city, in the eastern province of Shandong, China.

Taking this as a cue, a further search led us to videos of the same bridge shared on community apps called Main and VK Clips App. The caption in Mongolian suggested that it was the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in Qingdao, a city within China’s Shandong province.

Furthermore, we stumbled upon visuals of the viral bridge on the official Facebook page of the Chinese media outlet CCTV, dated June 7, 2023. The caption of the post clarifies that the image does not depict a bridge from Mumbai, but rather from China.

“Video shows the world’s longest bridge, the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in east China’s Shandong Province. It's 41 km long, with a 28 km section built over the sea. The bridge can withstand earthquakes, typhoons and even ship collisions. Forbes Magazine describes it as one of the world’s most amazing bridges, and an addition to the list of famous bridges including the iconic Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. #SeeChina,” the caption reads.

According to a report published in China Daily on March 31, 2020, the bridge was constructed to connect the rapidly developing industrial areas on both sides of the Jiaozhou Bay. It was opened to the general public on June 30, 2011.

Hence, the image incorrectly associated with Mumbai is actually the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in Qingdao, China.