Bhubaneswar, July 22: The much-awaited Nabakalebar and rath yatra are finally over and it seems the ruling BJD is ready to collect bouquets.

The party appeared to be in a self-congratulatory mode today as a group, led by Puri MLA and Nabakalebar Infrastructure Committee chairman Maheswar Mohanty and food and consumer welfare minister Sanjay Dasburma, met chief minister Naveen Patnaik and thanked him for the smooth conduct of the car festival.

They also congratulated the chief minister for naming the Puri Medical College and Hospital after Lord Jagannath. Dasburma represents the Brahmagiri constituency in Puri district.

Dasburma said: "A team, including intellectuals from Puri district had come to thank the chief minister for his initiatives to improve the medical infrastructure in Puri district and for naming the medical college after Lord Jagannath."

Maheswar Mohanty, who also enjoys the status of a cabinet minister, said: "We are really happy that a medical college has come up in the pilgrim town. The existing infrastructure-related projects such as roads and bridges have been completed."

He also said people of the state were grateful to Naveen for the smooth conduct of rath yatra.

On July 4, Naveen had laid the foundation stone of the Puri Medical College. It will be a full-fledged medical college and hospital. The proposed institute will have an intake capacity of 100 students while around Rs 200 crore will be spent for improving the infrastructure of the Puri district hospital.

The project cost will be borne under the centrally-sponsored Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Surakhsa Yojana scheme. The cost will be shared between the Centre and the state, with the Centre contributing 75 per cent for the medical college and hospital. It is expected to be operational by 2016.

Shankarshan Parida, the former chairman of the Puri Zilla Parishad, said: "It is such a welcome move. The medical college is a necessity."

The car festival passed off smoothly except a few unfortunate incidents. Around 15 lakh people had turned out on the Grand Road in Puri to witness the event. Two women lost their lives after a stampede took place in a bylane adjoining the Grand Road.

In the evening, tourism department officials made a presentation before the chief minister at the secretariat. The officials explained how they had successfully projected the rath yatra and Nabakalebar before the international audience.