Covering just over 500 kilometers daily on Highway 57, in the Querétaro-Palmillas section, some twenty patrol cars and just over 40 National Guard troops are tasked with carrying out the security operation promised by the Federal Government.
Stationed at different points along the 120-kilometer stretch that stretches from the Querétaro Prosecutor’s Office bridge to the Palmillas toll booth, and back, the nearly 40 troops rotate shifts of two to three hours to travel Highway 57 and thus deter any organized crime or heavy vehicles from violating traffic rules.
Although they constantly change positions, the two-day tour conducted by the Diario de Querétaro newspaper showed the National Guard troops stationed and others traveling on the federal highway.
Starting from the Prosecutor’s Office bridge, the first vehicle was located at the Bernal exit, at kilometer 193, where two officers were patrolling in a sedan.
Continuing toward the Palmillas checkpoint, the next patrol, this time a pickup truck with six officers in it, was located at kilometer 184, near the Pedro Escobedo weighbridge.
Further along, at kilometer 174, on the bridge leading to the San Gil Golf Club in one direction and to Amealco in the other, a sedan patrol car was located guarding the exit to the highway toward Palmillas.
During the journey, two vehicles passed by: a pickup truck and a sedan with National Guard insignia and their turrets illuminated.
Upon arriving in San Juan del Río, due to the constant metal fence, there is none, in addition to the large number of vehicles circulating at the interchange toward the San Juan del Río bus station.
The next group of patrols is at the Palmillas toll booth heading toward Mexico City, where a group of patrols are stationed that never leave. They have a trailer with beds, and this is where the patrols arrive to change shifts, which happens every two hours, but never at the same time to avoid detection.
This location includes, among other things, radars and cameras to detect vehicles that have been reported stolen or that have participated in a crime. These cameras are in constant communication with the National Guard headquarters.
On the way back to Querétaro, the first detachment, with two guards, was located at the entrance to the San Juan del Río bus station. They were even searching a double-trailer truck loaded with metal beams.
Continuing on the return journey, a patrol car passed by, patrolling the highway, while at kilometer 184, near the weighbridge area, a sedan patrol car was parked on the side of the road with two occupants.
Later, in the weighbridge area, a pickup truck with six members of the patrol car, some with long weapons, was located.
Further along, at the San Javier bus stop, at kilometer 171, a pickup truck and a patrol car were stationed meters ahead, monitoring the passage of trailers and vehicles heading toward Querétaro.
The next detachment was found at kilometer 191, where a patrol car with two members of the patrol car was guarding the road.
From then on, the road no longer has fixed patrols due to the traffic caused by the construction work at El Colorado, the metal fence at the El Marqués industrial zone, and Cuesta China. However, patrols can be seen at times along the highway.
These are some of the locations where the patrol cars were located, but during the day and at night, they change locations, and there are even places where there is no light other than that of the turrets.
At the Palmillas toll booth, there are radars and cameras to detect vehicles reported stolen or involved in criminal acts.
Source: oem
