In Tofalaria they plan to nearly double the number of flights. For this, 25 million rubles may be additionally found in the regional budget. This should ease travel for residents of three settlements, reduce flight queues, and help with access to medical care. During the working trip, the governor also ordered consideration of building a new school in Alydzhyer and discussed finishing work on the school in Nerha.

Tofalaria is a region in the Russian Federation with an area of 21.4 thousand km², located in the west of the Irkutsk Region, within the territory of Nizhneudinsky District, in the central part of the Eastern Sayan.
An additional 25 million rubles is planned to be found to double the number of air flights to Tofalaria. This was announced by the Governor of the Irkutsk Region, Sergey Eroshchenko, during a working trip to Nizhneudinsky District, which took place on February 24. At that time, the Governor was attending a meeting with activists and representatives of indigenous small-numbered peoples’ communities in the settlement of Alygdzher. Currently, for 2015, the regional budget already provides 34 million rubles for air service with Tofalaria for 104 flights. Thus, if additional funding is allocated, the number of flights will reach 200 already this year. The issue of separating passenger and cargo air transportation and making them regular will also be worked out.
- Special attention is being paid to the development of small aviation in the region. To date, air service between Irkutsk and the cities of Nizhneudinsk, Ust-Ilimsk, Zheleznogorsk, and the village of Kazachinskoye has already been restored. – Sergey Eroshchenko emphasized.
On the territory of Tofalaria there are three settlements, Alygdzher, Verkhnyaya Gutara, and Nerha, with a total population of 1,173 people. At the meeting, residents noted that due to the limited air service, a large queue is forming of those wishing to get to the “mainland” and back. With an increase in the number of flights, in particular, the issue of seeking specialized medical care will be resolved. Tofalaria can be reached only in two ways — by air or on horseback. Unfortunately, not everyone can manage the horse route. We remind you that earlier 29 million rubles had been allocated for helicopter transportation. To get on board, people had to sign up a month in advance. Sometimes the matter even reached the prosecutor’s office.
In addition, during the Governor’s visit, issues of developing social infrastructure were also discussed. Sergey Eroshchenko instructed the relevant ministries to consider the construction of a new school in the settlement of Alygdzher. Also, Minister of Education Elena Osipova said that the school in the village of Nerha is planned to be put into operation by September 1, 2015. The school for 72 students had already been commissioned in December 2010, but with unacceptable violations, and to this day classes have not been held there. According to a statement by the Minister of Construction and Road Economy of the Angara Region, Marina Sadowskaya, the necessary funds for the finishing work will be found within the framework of public-private partnership.
Based on materials from the press service of the Irkutsk administration.