Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides in New York on Hold After Teen Tourist's Death
City leaders and park advocates want to suspend the 150-year-old carriage industry after an 18-year-old died in a runaway ride.
- Romanch Mahajan, 18, died after jumping from a runaway horse carriage in Central Park while attempting to save his falling mother during a family graduation trip; operations remain suspended following the fatal incident.
- The horse bolted after the driver dismounted to photograph the family near a fountain, causing the carriage to overturn; the Central Park Conservancy argues horses can no longer safely share the 843-acre park's roads with pedestrians and cyclists.
- Owner Onur Altintas suggested installing hitching posts could prevent 90% of accidents, while the Transport Workers Union halted operations to review safety protocols following the eighth horse-related incident in 13 months.
- City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Mayor Zohran Mamdani vowed to end the industry, scheduling a hearing next month on Ryder Law; Menin called the death "horrific and heartbreaking" in a statement.
- Animal welfare advocate Edita Birnkrant noted that Chicago and San Antonio have already removed horse-drawn carriages; New York City now faces pressure to end the 150-year-old industry while officials develop worker transition plans.
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55 Articles
The carriage rides in Central Park, New York, are suspended at least until Tuesday, said the union representing the checkers, as long as the safety protocols are reviewed following the death of a young tourist who jumped from a carriage.
Horse-drawn carriage rides in Central Park to resume after safety training
NEW YORK CITY (PIX 11) — Central Park horse-drawn carriage rides will resume Tuesday, with drivers undergoing safety refresher courses in the meantime following the death of a teenage tourist who was in a runaway carriage on Wednesday. TWU Local 100, the union representing carriage drivers, said this is the first death it’s aware of [...]
An 18-year-old Indian tourist died jumping from a carriage while the horse galloped through the park without his coach.
Mamdani pressured to ban NYC’s iconic horse carriage rides after teen tourist’s death
Animal-rights advocates ramped up pressure on Mayor Zohran Mamdani, calling on him to unilaterally ban Central Park’s iconic horse carriages after a teen tourist’s tragic death
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