Nestled in the stunning hills of Himachal Pradesh, the Kalka-Shimla railway is known for its breathtaking beauty. But among its many tunnels, one has gained a chilling reputation, Tunnel No. 33, also known as the Barog Tunnel. This tunnel, hidden beneath the dense pine forests, is not just a passage for trains but also a passage to the unknown.
The story dates back to the British era when the railway line was under construction. Colonel Barog, a British engineer, was assigned to construct Tunnel No. 33. Confident in his calculations, he ordered workers to dig from both ends, expecting them to meet in the middle. However, an error in his measurements caused the two ends never to meet.
This mistake was costly not just for the project but for Barog himself. The British government imposed a heavy fine on him, humiliating the once proud engineer. The guilt and disgrace weighed on his soul, and one fateful day, unable to bear the shame, he walked into the forest near the unfinished tunnel and took his own life with a pistol.
Soon after Colonel Barog’s tragic death, strange events began around Tunnel No. 33. Railway workers and villagers reported hearing faint whispers, muffled cries, and even a ghostly figure walking along the tracks. Unlike other haunted places where spirits are feared, Colonel Barog’s ghost is said to be gentle – he was seen guiding lost travellers or simply walking through the tunnel as if still overseeing its construction.
Some who dared to venture into the tunnel at night spoke of sudden cold chills, while others claimed to hear a voice calling out their names. Train drivers reported seeing a shadowy figure near the entrance, only for it to vanish moments later. Despite these eerie encounters, no harm ever came to anyone almost as if Barog’s soul was searching for redemption rather than haunting out of malice.
As time passed, another engineer took over and completed the tunnel, but the legend of Colonel Barog never faded. Even today, passengers travelling through Tunnel No. 33 sometimes feel a presence, as though an unseen passenger is still lingering, watching over his incomplete dream.
Though his body rests in a grave near the tunnel, his spirit still walks the tracks, forever bound to the place that led to his downfall. Some believe he is searching for peace, while others say he is simply ensuring that no one else makes the same mistake he did.
And so, Tunnel No. 33 remains one of India’s most haunted yet strangely comforting ghost stories where a man’s tragic error turned him into a guardian of the railway forever.