An Archaeological Survey of India team was scheduled to begin excavation work at the disputed site in Ayodhya on Monday morning in accordance with an Allahabad high court directive.

The excavation will have to be completed within a month.

The 14-member ASI team held several meetings with the Faizabad district administration on Sunday.

Security, meanwhile, was tightened around the disputed site, where a makeshift Ram temple was erected after the demolition of historic Babri masjid by some Hindu zealots on December 6, 1992.

Commissioner of Faizabad division, R M Srivastav, said the ASI team would conduct a preliminary survey in the acquired land on Monday and contesting parties in the Ram Janambhumi-Babri Masjid dispute would be allowed to watch the excavation work.