Call for Ban on Horse-Drawn Carriages After Tragic Death

The family of a teenage tourist, who tragically lost his life after being thrown from a horse-drawn carriage in Central Park, urged the city on Monday to legislate a ban on the carriage industry. They described his death as being treated like “a temporary inconvenience.”

In a heartfelt letter shared during his wake at the park, Romanchi Mahajan’s family expressed that immediate action is necessary to phase out horse-drawn carriages, to prevent any future tragedies.

“The company accountable for my nephew’s tragic death views his loss as just a bump in the road and is planning to restart rides this Tuesday,” Gaurav Mahajan, Romanchi’s uncle, wrote to the mayor’s office.

This decision, he argued, “is profoundly disrespectful to our family and poses a danger to the public safety of residents and visitors alike.” Gaurav emphasized that allowing horse-drawn carriages back on the streets while they are planning funerals highlights a misplaced priority on outdated attractions over human life.

Romanchi, just 18, had recently graduated from high school in India and was eagerly anticipating his college journey.

Following the incident, where Romanchi was riding alongside his parents and younger brother to celebrate his graduation, the driver’s union paused rides voluntarily. The driver reportedly stepped out of the carriage to snap a photo, ignoring safety protocols, when the horse became skittish.

The union plans to resume rides despite the ongoing grief. “When drivers are back on duty, we’ll have a safety team present in the park to oversee and retrain them,” stated Alexander Kemp, a representative for the drivers. He expressed hopes for ongoing safety enhancements, suggesting regular compliance checks by the Department of Health.

During the vigil for Romanchi, Councilman Chris Marte announced plans to rebrand the Rider Act, aimed at phasing out horse-drawn carriages, as “Romanchi’s Law.” He indicated that the bill would take two years to implement in order to support drivers transitioning to new employment.

However, Marte insisted on the necessity of ending this practice sooner, and mentioned he was open to talks about additional safety measures. Activists present voiced their views that the city could act swiftly to shut down the industry.

The proposal to ban horse-drawn carriages is not new; it was initially brought forth by former council member Bob Holden in 2022, shortly before another tragic incident occurred. Yet, no votes have been taken yet on the bill.

Despite prior resistance from the City Council’s Health Committee to remove the city from oversight, Marte mentioned recent supportive gestures from City Council President Julie Menin since Romanchi’s death have shifted the dialogue, with a public hearing now set for July 15.

“Historically, every administration has made promises that were never realized,” Marte commented. “Now, we’ve got a genuine chance to pass this bill and eradicate this practice in Central Park.”

At the wake, among the tributes, Sen. Eric Bottcher remarked that Romanchi’s death was foreshadowed and a serious concern had been voiced prior. He reflected on the image of Romanchi’s mother holding her son’s lifeless body and expressed a strong desire to prevent such a tragedy from recurring.