New York City lawmakers are poised to vote on a bill that would phase out the horse-drawn carriage industry that has operated in Central Park since the 1800s, with a ban scheduled to take effect on June 1, 2028. The measure enjoys broad support among City Council members and backing from Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Long history, mounting controversy
Carriages have been a feature of Central Park since designers laid out its 6-mile loop for horse rides in the 19th century. By the mid-20th century, the city had capped carriage licenses at 68, allowing the vehicles to operate inside the park and on adjacent city streets alongside motor traffic.
Support for the legislative push increased sharply after a summer tragedy. On June 17, an 18-year-old tourist from India, Romanch Mahajan, was thrown from a carriage and died when the horse bolted after the driver left the vehicle to take a photograph of Mahajan's family. Mahajan's family has filed a $50 million notice of claim against the city and voiced support for the ban.
"We welcome the vote that will finally ban horse carriages in New York City so that no other human being or horse has to suffer the terrible tragedy that has befallen the Mahajan family," said Sagar Chadha of Liakas Law, counsel for the Mahajan family.
Animal rights advocates have long criticized the industry for what they call unsafe and inhumane conditions for horses. Their pressure, along with public safety concerns, has produced a majority of City Council members co-sponsoring the current bill.
Economic and workforce impacts
City officials and industry representatives acknowledge the proposed ban would displace workers connected to the carriage trade. The measure is expected to put hundreds of people out of work, including carriage owners, drivers and stable workers. The bill raises questions about compensation, retraining and the future use of stables and related infrastructure.
- Carriage operation has been licensed and limited by the city since the mid-20th century.
- Support for the ban accelerated after the June carriage accident that killed an 18-year-old tourist.
- The ban would take effect on June 1, 2028, if passed by the City Council.
Officials and public reaction
Mayor Mamdani has publicly supported the bill, telling reporters earlier this month,
"The horse industry is coming to an end,"language that underscores a shift in official sentiment after decades of failed shutdown attempts.
Not all longtime parkgoers share the desire to remove the carriages entirely. Angelica Vega, a dog walker who has frequented Central Park for 20 years, said the vehicles are part of the park’s character. "It's going to be sad to walk in the park and not see them," she said.
Timeline and next steps
The City Council vote scheduled for Thursday will determine whether the phase-out moves forward. If the bill passes, agencies will need to implement the ban, address labor and property impacts, and oversee any compensation or transition programs for workers and owners.
| Key date | Event |
|---|---|
| Mid-1800s | Carriages begin operating on Central Park's designed loop |
| Mid-20th century | City limits carriage licenses to 68 |
| June 17, 2026 | Carriage crash kills 18-year-old tourist Romanch Mahajan |
| June 1, 2028 | Proposed effective date for the carriage ban |
If the council approves the bill, New York will begin dismantling an industry that has long drawn tourists and debate. Lawmakers, advocates and community members will face immediate questions about how to reconcile public safety and animal welfare concerns with the livelihoods of drivers and stable workers whose families have often depended on the trade for generations.
Implementation will require coordination among city agencies to oversee enforcement, address the status of licensed stables and determine any financial or retraining support for affected workers. For now, the carriage horses and the people who work with them remain at the center of a contentious moment in the city's ongoing evolution.
