New York City will end its 168-year-old horse-drawn carriage industry in Central Park, with Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin announcing a legislative deal to abolish the practice by June 1, 2028.
The City Council is scheduled to vote on the legislation, known as Romanch's Law, on October 22. If passed, the bill would prohibit new licenses for horse-drawn cabs and phase out all remaining carriages by the 2028 deadline.
The push for the ban intensified following the death of Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old Indian tourist who died after being thrown from a horse carriage in Central Park on June 17, 2026. According to investigators, a horse lost control, causing the carriage to clip another vehicle's wheel and topple. Mahajan was transported to NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center in critical condition and subsequently died. His family requested that the legislation be named in his honor.
Menin cited both the tragedy and broader safety concerns in her support for the measure. "Horse-drawn carriages have long been part of New York City's history, but in an increasingly busy Central Park, this tradition has become a growing public safety liability," she said in a statement.
The legislation addresses longstanding animal welfare concerns that have fueled decades of debate within city leadership. Animal rights advocates have charged that horses are overworked, easily frightened, and housed in inadequate stables, with drivers frequently flouting city regulations. Horse and carriage owners have disputed these claims, arguing that animals are well cared for and stables meet code requirements.
The phased approach includes provisions to protect workers and animals during the transition. The Mamdani administration will develop a plan to connect carriage drivers with new employment opportunities. Horses will be retired to sanctuaries rather than sold to slaughterhouses, with the legislation requiring "humane disposition" of the animals and forbidding their sale for slaughter or transfer to other carriage companies. The bill also includes training programs to help drivers transition into new jobs before the total ban takes effect.
According to Menin, a majority of City Council members support the legislation. Mamdani stated on social media that "the horse carriage industry is coming to an end in New York City" and that "our administration will make sure workers and owners are protected and the horses are safe."
Horse carriage owners have vowed to fight the ban. Officials said they have been working closely with the City Council, union partners, and carriage drivers on the legislation's development.