The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will soon begin a survey of the Gevad valley in Uttarakhand's Almora district to find out if an ancient city lies underneath the flat land along the Ramganga river, an official said on Thursday.

"A team of ASI experts will visit the site spread over a 10-km area in the first or second week of January to explore the possibility," Manoj Saxena, Superintending Archaeologist of ASI's Dehradun Circle, told PTI.

The assumption about the existence of the remains of an ancient city beneath the soil in the Gevad valley is based on the presence of a number of temples in the area dating back to the 9th, 10th, 14th and 15th centuries, he said.

The presence of so many temples in the area could not have been possible without human habitation, he added.

Another basis of the assumption is the location of the site. Most ancient civilisations grew close to rivers, Saxena said.

"If our team of experts finds concrete evidence of a potential site there in the course of its exploration, then we will apply for a licence from the top ASI authorities to begin the excavation for the lost city," he said.

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