Fact Check: Dilapidated bridge's viral image is from Bangladesh, not India

Monsoon rains in India are notorious for causing significant damage to the country’s road infrastructure. Heavy rainfall leads to water accumulation, which weakens the foundation of roads, especially in areas with poor drainage systems. Over time, the constant exposure to water causes potholes, cracks, and erosion, making roads dangerous for commuters. In many regions, roads are constructed with inadequate materials or improper techniques, making them more susceptible to rain damage. The moisture seeps through cracks in the asphalt, softening the underlying layers, which eventually leads to road collapses or large potholes. In urban areas, clogged drains exacerbate the situation, resulting in water logging that speeds up the deterioration process.

On September 17th, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari strongly criticized agencies and contractors for poorly maintained roads. He emphasized that competent operators would be rewarded, while those performing poorly would be removed from the system. "We will not spare you. We will ensure that bank guarantees of those delivering substandard work are forfeited, and they will be blacklisted. You will not be allowed to apply for new tenders," the minister warned.

A picture circulating on social media shows a bridge in a deteriorated state, with exposed mesh visible. It has been widely claimed that the bridge is located in India, with some posts specifically suggesting it was constructed in Arunachal Pradesh.

Some users have shared the viral image with the Hindi Caption “ हमारी बराबरी क्या करेंगे चाइना वाले, वहां कांच का पुल है । और हमारे यहाँ जाली वाला पुल है ।

In English it reads, " How can the Chinese compete with us? They have a glass bridge, and here we have a mesh bridge”.

Another user, shared the same image with the hashtag #Ayodhya

We found another user shared the viral image with the caption " Arunachal engineers, officers , contractor , their skill".

Fact Check:

We found this claim to be Misleading, as the viral image has no connection to India.

When we performed Google reverse image search, we found several websites related to Bangladesh sharing the same image.

On 19th Feb 2022 a Bangla digital media outlet 'Daily Swadhin Bangla' had published an article titled 'Amtali's Connecting Bridge is Like a Death Trap.'

Similarly, we found a website called 'Mzamin' that published an article featuring the viral image, titled "19 Dangerous Bridges in Amtali.

According to the article, "The 40-meter bridge over Jugia Khal in Arpangashia Union, Amtali, was built between 2002 and 2006 and has never been repaired. It is now in critical condition, causing frequent accidents and posing a risk of collapse. If the bridge fails, it will disrupt communication between several villages and the upazila town. Residents have made temporary repairs."

Furthermore, we found that The Daily Star published this story with the headline 'Shaky Bridge a Trouble to Locals.

In the article TDS mentioned " Thousands of people including school goers are suffering as a bridge on Pashchim Chunakhali canal in Barguna’s Amtali upazila has been lying in an awful condition since a portion of the bridge collapsed three years ago. Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) built the bridge on Pashchim Chunakhali canal in Kukua union under Amtali upazila in 1996 to ease communication of Pashchim Chunakhali and Purbo Chunakhali villages with the upazila headquarters. The bridge also helped communication with nearby Patuakhali town.

In the article TDS also mentioned "As a portion of the bridge collapsed amid heavy rainfall three years ago, villagers set a wooden plank to make it somehow usable. Now locals including several hundred school-goers cross the bridge amid risk,” said Md Altaf Hossain, a resident of Pashchim Chunakhali village".

Hence, we found the claim is Misleading. The viral photo, which was said to show a ruined bridge in India, is actually from Amtali in the Barguna district of Bangladesh. The image has no connection to India.