Maharashtra is one the states that see the highest number of road mishaps and related deaths, but the launch event for the 34th Road Safety Drive, which was to be kicked off by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde—who also holds the transport portfolio—on Wednesday, was nothing short of a joke.

Scores of guests and students were kept waiting and hungry for hours due to delays. The Maharashtra government is celebrating Road Safety Week from January 11 to 17 this year. The chief minister and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who were to inaugurate the function at NCPA in south Mumbai, ended up giving it a miss.