Agartala: As a precursor to removing all the 10,440 unmanned level crossings across the country by 2020, a beginning is being made in Assam by deploying a 'gate mitras' - literally friend at the gate - at six such places in Assam to bring down accidents, an official said.

"Assam's Tinsukia division of Northeast Frontier Railway NFR has recently deployed gate Mitras at six UMLC gates to ensure safety of road uses. Gradually gate mitras would be deployed at other places in the northeastern states," NFR chief public relations officer Pranav Jyoti Sharma told IANS.