JAMMU, Sept. 3 -- The 250-km-long Jammu-Srinagar national highway (NH-44), considered the lifeline of Kashmir, continues to reel under the impact of torrential rains and landslides, with full restoration expected to take several months. While partial connectivity has been restored, a major hurdle remains the reconstruction of a critical bridge at Tharad in Udhampur district, which may take at least six months to complete. Shubham Yadav, NHAI Ramban project director, said, "On August 26, Udhampur district received very heavy rainfall that badly damaged a 20km stretch of the highway between Udhampur and Chenani, particularly a 10km stretch between Bani Nullah and Samroli." The worst-hit points include Tharad Bridge, Balli Nullah and both carriageways at Samroli. "The NHAI workers and machinery took just a day and a half to partially restore the affected stretches. Limited movement of heavy motor vehicles carrying essentials resumed on August 30, but another round of rains hampered further progress," Yadav added. Yadav said a hill of around 150 meters at Tharad has started shifting. "The entire hill has started moving and has already covered three of the four lanes of the highway. Only one lane is operational for traffic," he added. He also confirmed damage to a 20-meter-long bridge at Tharad. "It will take at least six months to construct a new bridge at the site," Yadav added. At Balli Nullah, where the road has subsided, NHAI teams are filling the patch with boulders, he said. "If the weather turns stable, we can restore two-lane traffic within a day and a half." Yadav denied media reports of cracks on a bridge at Ramban. The connectivity with the Kashmir Valley was never fully lost, he said. "Our men and machinery are at work. We just need a window of clear weather to speed up restoration," he asserted. Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday visited the damaged sections of NH-44 at Marog and Balli Nullah in Ramban. "Inspection is being done. Highways have been damaged. I have talked to NHAI and the district administrations. They say it will take 20-25 days for restoration; however, alternate routes are available," Omar said. Meanwhile, the Jammu-Srinagar highway was closed for traffic on Monday following another round of heavy rain, triggering mudslides and falling boulders along multiple sections. A traffic department official stated that the suspension was a precautionary measure given the ongoing bad weather and forecast of more rain. The meteorological department has issued warnings of heavy to very heavy rainfall across Jammu division on Tuesday and Wednesday. "There is a possibility of cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides or shooting stones at many vulnerable places. People should stay away from water bodies and landslide-prone areas," a Met official said. In the last 24 hours, Kathua recorded 25.2 mm of rainfall, followed by Jammu (17.8 mm), Batote (17.6 mm), and Katra (15.8 mm). In the Kashmir Valley, Qazigund saw 23.2 mm, Gulmarg 14.8 mm, Pahalgam 11.4 mm, and Srinagar 6.1 mm....