The New York City council has approved a bill on Thursday that will phase out horse-drawn carriage rides by June 2028, following the tragic death of a teenage tourist last spring. Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office is mandated by the legislation to devise a plan by next April to assist the remaining 150 drivers and other industry members in transitioning to new employment opportunities. However, the specifics of the plan are not clearly outlined, lacking definitive benchmarks for displaced workers.
The bill entails the creation of a program by city hall that includes job referrals, career guidance, and educational options for the affected individuals. It also grants the administration the authority to explore potential compensation for industry workers. The mayor’s office has already initiated efforts towards establishing a workforce transition program and has commenced discussions on potential compensation, as per city hall sources.
A spokesperson for the mayor affirmed that the mayor will endorse the bill, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to safeguarding the interests of carriage owners and workers within the industry. The union representing carriage drivers has pledged to challenge the legislation legally as soon as it is enacted.
The push for the ban gained momentum following the tragic incident in June involving an 18-year-old Indian tourist, Romanch Mahajan, who lost his life after leaping from a runaway carriage during a ride. This fatality marked the first such incident in Central Park since the inception of carriage rides.
Mahajan’s family has made a heartfelt plea to the city to discontinue the rides, sharing emotional testimonies underscoring their belief in the rides’ safety. Gaurav Mahajan, Romanch’s uncle, expressed support for the proposal at a recent rally, characterizing it as a step towards justice. However, carriage drivers argue that they are unjustly singled out due to a singular accident and stress the lack of provisions for alternative employment or sustaining their businesses amid the ban.
