Shimla's spooky tunnel no. 103

Shimla: The Kalka–Shimla Railway which connects India's former summer capital to the plains of Punjab and Haryana offers a spectacular feast of the panoramic Shivalik foothills all along the route. On leaving Kalka, 2,152 ft above sea level, the railway enters the foothills and immediately commences its climb. It passes through several important points such as Dharampur, Solan, Kandaghat, Taradevi, Barog, Salogra, Totu (Jutogh), Summerhill and Shimla at an altitude of 6,811 ft. Originally 107 tunnels were built on Kalka Shimla railway . In 1930 they were renumbered and four of them were discarded so only 103 were left. In 2006 tunnel number 46 was dismantled so presently only 102 are in use. But tunnel number 103, the last tunnel in Shimla, is still famous as tunnel number 103 as this place has become a spooky landmark of the town. The longest tunnel no 103 at Barog has a ghost story attached to it. One Colonel Barog, the engineer of this tunnel, had committed suicide here. He started digging the tunnel from both ends and could not align them. So he was fined 1 rupee. He could not stomach up that stigma sohe shot himself in the incomplete tunnel, which still exists. Chief Engineer H.S. Herlington completed it after the way for constructing this was earmarked by Bhalku, a local sadhu during 1900-1903. The ghost in tunnel 103 is said to be one that talks back to humans, though it is yet to be scitifically established. The tunnel itself is wet, damp, dingy and about 140 yards long and is quite a scary place. There are different kinds of spirits. Most of them don't acknowledge your presence. They just appear on a particular day at a particular time and play out their part as if on a video tape -- for instance if a woman who walks in from one direction and ends up jumping in the well will do so even if you try to stop it. A group of eager and adventurous teenagers once set out to explore more about this British engineer. The tunnel was warm durig wanted but there was a repulsive smell, possibly because of lack of maintenance. As the group walked in, one of them gathered the courage and asked a question to the "ghost": "Are you happy inside this tunnel?" there was no response. As the group started walking back, a faint voice echose: "Happy? Yes." Nobody knows for sure who said this. Why not try out again?