The MoU will be the highlight of surface transport minister Raj Nath Singh's first visit to France. He arrived in Paris on Sunday evening, accompanied by a high-level delegation from his ministry on a four-day visit.

The MoU will be signed here on Tuesday between Prafulla Kular, India's director general of roads, and his French counterpart. Also present will be Singh and his French counterpart, Jean Claude Gayssot.

France is keen to tap the massive potential that lies in the development of the road sector in India. India, on the other hand, is keen to benefit from French technology and expertise in road management. France ranks second after the US in road density in the world and has the second largest network of auto routes criss-crossing the country.

Singh willalso be briefed by a delegation of the French government and the private sector about the role played by the private sector in the French auto routes.

This will specially focus on the aspects of toll financing and the long gestation periods of national highways. Amongst the companies involved in the briefing will be SNCF, the French national railways.

On Wednesday, Singh is expected to visit the coastal city of Marseille in southern France to study port handling there and the ways of improving efficiency, including the steps that have been taken by the French to enhance productivity in the port.

Singh will also visit the Centre de Circulation de Paris, or the Traffic Control Centre of Paris, to see how the Parisian authorities manage traffic on the congested roads of the city. He will also be told about the role that technology and computers can play in ameliorating traffic conditions in metropolitan centres.pSingh will leave for London on Thursday.

-- IANS