NYC bill to ban horse carriages renamed after Indian teen killed in accident

A proposed New York City bill that aims to phase out horse-drawn carriages has been renamed in honour of Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old Indian national who died after a horse carriage accident in Central Park last week.

New York City Council member Christopher Marte announced the renaming during a vigil held at Central Park on Monday. The legislation, previously known as 'Ryder's Law', will now be called 'Romanch's Law'. Marte said, 'What happened last week is a stain on our city. Why aren't we taking action immediately?'

At the vigil, Marte read a letter from the Mahajan family calling for an immediate ban on horse-drawn carriage rides. The letter stated: 'The industry responsible for my nephew's death is preparing to resume passenger tours this Tuesday, treating the loss of Romanch's life as a temporary inconvenience.' It added: 'We demand that you use the full power of your office to halt the resumption of these rides immediately. Allowing horse carriages back on the streets while our family is planning a funeral proves that the city values tourism over human life.'

The bill was originally named after Ryder, a 26-year-old carriage horse that collapsed while pulling a carriage in Manhattan in August 2022 and later died. Animal welfare organisations have since intensified calls to ban horse-drawn carriages in the city.

If passed, the legislation would gradually phase out the horse-drawn carriage industry by stopping the issuance of new carriage licences and prohibiting the operation of such carriages from June 1, 2028.

Mahajan lost his life after falling from a horse-drawn carriage that went out of control in Central Park. According to his family, the horse bolted after becoming frightened when the carriage driver stopped to take a family photograph. As the carriage sped away, Mahajan's mother, Priya Mahajan, fell from the vehicle. Romanch jumped off in an attempt to help her but suffered fatal injuries.

The incident has reignited debate over the safety and ethics of horse-drawn carriages in New York City, with advocates for the ban citing both animal welfare and public safety concerns.