New York seeks to ban horse-drawn carriages from June 2028
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on TimesLIVE
New York City Council is due to vote on a bill that would ban horse-drawn carriages from 1 June 2028. Backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and most council members, the bill follows the death of an Indian tourist who fell from a carriage in June, TimesLIVE reports.
New York City Council is due to vote on Thursday on a bill that would ban horse-drawn carriages from 1 June 2028, TimesLIVE reports. The measure, backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and most council members, would end an activity that has been part of Central Park since the 19th century.
The debate was reignited after the death on 17 June of Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old Indian tourist. He was thrown from a carriage when the horse bolted after the driver had stepped away to photograph his family. Mahajan’s relatives have filed a notice of claim against the city for 50 million dollars and support the ban, their lawyer, Sagar Chadha, said.
The closure would put the jobs of hundreds of people at risk, including carriage owners, drivers and stable workers. The city limited carriage licences to 68 in the mid-20th century. Previous attempts to end the activity have failed over the past decade.
Opponents of the ban defend the importance of carriages to Central Park’s identity. Christina Hansen, a carriage owner and union representative, believes they are an integral part of the city.
Summary produced with the help of artificial intelligence tools, under AFREEQUE’s editorial responsibility.
