NYC Leaders Move to End 150-Year Horse Carriages After 18-Year-Old Tourist Dies
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 18
NYC Leaders Move to End 150-Year Horse Carriages After 18-Year-Old Tourist Dies
3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 18
Summary
New York City leaders said they will push to end Central Park’s horse-carriage industry after Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old visitor from India, was killed when a horse bolted while the driver had stepped away.
Mahajan died after jumping from the carriage as his mother fell out; the family’s carriage then clipped another horse-drawn vehicle and overturned during what officials say was the park’s first human carriage fatality in 150 years.
City Council leaders plan a hearing next month on Ryder’s Law, a bill backed by the Central Park Conservancy that would ban the rides and help drivers transition to new jobs.
The carriage company suspended the driver indefinitely, will retire the horse, and shut stables for the day, while the union backed separate legislation for hitching posts to secure horses at tourist stops.
The death has revived a long-running fight over a business that charges about $72 for 20 minutes, with the conservancy citing eight horse-related incidents in the past 13 months and urging an immediate suspension.
After 150 years, will one tourist's tragic death finally banish horse carriages from Central Park?
A driver's mistake led to a fatal accident. Is this one man's error or proof a dangerous industry must end?
Central Park Carriage Death Sparks NYC Reckoning: The 2026 Mahajan Tragedy, Industry Safety Failures, and the Fight for Ryder’s Law
Overview
On June 17, 2026, 18-year-old tourist Romanch Mahajan lost his life in Central Park after a horse-drawn carriage accident. The tragedy began when the carriage driver left the vehicle to take a photograph, violating industry rules. In the driver’s absence, the horse bolted, causing Romanch’s mother to fall. Romanch was severely injured while trying to help her and later died at the hospital. This incident sparked immediate public outrage and renewed calls to end New York City’s horse-drawn carriage industry, highlighting ongoing safety concerns and prompting urgent legislative action.