Mugu faces travel woes as Dashain nears, air services remain unreliable

September 19, Kathmandu: As the Hindu festival of Dashain approaches, residents of Mugu district are grappling with significant travel challenges due to unreliable air services. The lack of regular flights on the Talcha-Nepalgunj route has left employees, students, and patients stranded, exacerbating difficulties in this remote region.

For nearly four months, Nepal Airlines has suspended flights on this critical route, while private carriers such as Summit, Tara, and Sita have scaled back operations, citing erratic weather conditions.

With road transport options limited and arduous, locals heavily rely on air travel, making the inconsistent flight schedules a major hurdle. Government employees, students needing to travel for studies, and patients requiring urgent medical care are among the worst affected.

A teacher from Gamgadhi shared, “With the holidays approaching, we want to return home for Dashain, but the lack of regular flights has left us in limbo.” Similarly, locals report that emergencies requiring treatment in Nepalgunj or Kathmandu are particularly challenging, as long road journeys pose serious risks to patients’ lives.

Ram Bahadur Bariya, chief of the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority at Rara Airport, Talcha, explained, “Private airlines intend to operate daily, but frequent weather changes have disrupted regular flights.” In a glimmer of hope, Nepal Airlines’ Talcha station in-charge, Naveen Kumar Bisht, announced that preparations are underway to resume flights starting next Monday.

“Considering passengers’ demands, we’ve opened online booking for five tickets initially, with plans to increase it to ten soon,” he said. However, locals are urging authorities to prioritise regular flight operations, especially with Dashain just around the corner, to alleviate their ongoing struggles.

As the festive season nears, the people of Mugu await swift action to restore reliable air connectivity, a lifeline for this remote district.