Over 450 officers from the army, navy and air force, and other defence establishements, have come together to build a colony of their own in Mamurdi along the Pune-Mumbai Expressway. A private initiative of the officers, the project will be open to civilians too if flats remain unsold.

The project to be developed by Kunal Developers is to be completed in two years.

Rahul Awasthi of the Kunal Group said: "We are in the last stages of land acquisition. The project is for defence officers, but flats not sold or booked will be open to civilians later."

The project was conceptualised in August 2008 by a group of serving and retired officers. As of now, 60 officers comprising 36 navy, 17 army and 7 air force officers have booked flats. Public Relations Officer (Defence) Prashant Pathrabe said, "The housing colony project may be a private initiative of the officers."