This route plays an important role in rail transportation of Mysore division of Karnataka state.

The corridor passes through the Western Ghats and the Mysore Plateau, connecting the mainland to the coastal areas of Karnataka with a stretch of 309 km with one reversal direction at Hassan Junction.

The gauge conversion of this section was handed over to a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), formed for the task – the Hassan Mangalore Rail Development Company Limited (HMRDC).

The next stretch to be inaugurated was between Mangalore Central and Kabaka Puttur, a distance of about 44 km, opened in December 2003.

There is a proposal for doubling the Mangalore–Hassan–Mysore line with electrification for reduction of time travelling between the coastal and plateau regions of Karnataka which will be a boon for the economy on this route.