MUGU, August 5: Flights to and from the Talcha Airport in Mugu district have been disrupted for three days due to adverse weather conditions.

According to the Rara-based Civil Aviation Office, flights have been unable to operate due to unpredictable weather. Last Friday, Summit Air's flight from Nepalgunj was forced to turn back after reaching Narakot in Jumla district, just 10 minutes away from Talcha Airport, due to worsening weather conditions.

The weather remained unfavorable on Saturday as well. Although there were some improvements on Sunday, Summit Air canceled its flight to the Talcha Airport, according to Basanta Malla, Summit Air's station manager in Nepalgunj.

As a result, passengers traveling between Nepalgunj and Mugu have faced significant difficulties. Many have reported running low on funds while waiting in hotels for their flights.

Namrata Malla, a teacher, expressed frustration over the flight disruption, noting that those on annual leave have been particularly affected. "The condition of roads is poor, and air travel is uncertain. We haven't been able to return to our duty stations," she lamented.

Currently, three airlines operate flights to Talcha Airport which is also informally called Rara Airport due to its proximity to the renowned Rara Lake. Tara Air has suspended flights for maintenance, while Sita Air has halted operations due to administrative reasons. Amidst this, Summit Air had been the only airline conducting regular flights to and from the Talcha Airport.

Sita Air's Mugu station manager, Dhirendra Bham, assured that Sita Air would resume regular flights from Monday, provided the weather improves. -- RSS