The Mysuru–Kushalnagar railway line project has been officially dropped by South Western Railway (SWR). Although the Final Location Survey (FLS) was completed, officials confirmed the project is not viable due to low passenger and freight traffic. "Based on detailed assessments, the expected passenger and freight traffic on this route is insufficient. The rate of return is negative, and the project does not justify the large investment required," said a senior SWR official. The Karnataka state government also showed no interest in the project. In June 2025, V. Somanna, Minister of State for Railways, said the state had formally told the Ministry of Railways it would not support the Mysuru–Kushalnagar and Hejjala–Chamarajanagar railway projects. The 87-km line needed nearly 1,379 acres of land, and costs had risen significantly from the initial ₹1,800 crore estimate. Local residents and environmentalists opposed the project due to concerns about land acquisition and environmental damage. Another SWR official added that although the Detailed Project Report was to be prepared, progress depended on the state government acquiring the land and giving it to the Railways free of cost—an unlikely event now. The project was approved in 2018-19, and the FLS tender was awarded in June 2022. Its cancellation marks a pause in efforts to connect Kodagu district by rail.