Mamdani and City Council move to end New York's iconic horse-drawn carriage industry as workers face an uncertain future.

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Deepak Mahajan listens as his video statement to the New York City Council plays, saying if lawmakers had passed the stroller ban last year, their son would still be alive. (WNYW)

New York City's iconic carriages may disappear from Central Park under an agreement reached Tuesday between Mayor Zahran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin, paving the way for a vote to remove the historic industry.

If approved by the City Council on Oct. 22, the deal would ban horse-drawn carriage operations beginning June 1, 2028, ending the longtime tourist attraction amid concerns about animal welfare and public safety.

The proposed law, known as Romanch's Law — named after 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan, who was fatally injured in a horse-drawn carriage accident in June — would require city officials to develop a transition plan for carriage drivers, owners and stable workers, although financial compensation is not guaranteed.

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"The horse-drawn carriage industry is dying in New York City. Our government will make sure that the workers and their owners are protected and that the horses are safe," Mamdani wrote in X.

Animal rights group PETA celebrated the settlement after years of campaigning against the stroller industry.

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Emergency responders gathered around an overturned horse-drawn carriage in Central Park after 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan was injured when his carriage collided with another carriage and overturned in June. (WNYW)

Preservation of the central park also welcomed this agreement with emphasis on public safety.

Betsy Smith, president and CEO of the Conservancy, said: "We applaud the City Council for this. For the Central Park Conservancy, this has always been a matter of public safety. We hope the trolleys can be effectively and humanely decommissioned so that no one else suffers the fate of Romanch Mahajan."

But the Transportation Workers Union strongly criticized the deal, accusing city leaders of failing to provide meaningful financial protections for workers and trolley owners.

"Council Speaker Menin's bill provides no meaningful economic relief to workers," TWU International President John Samuelsen said in a statement. It says only that the city must prepare a worker transition plan by April 2027 and include weak measures such as job fairs and career counseling.

Samuelsen also accused Menin of exploiting the death of 18-year-old tourist Romanche Mahajan in June to advance the ban.

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"Chairman Menin used the tragic death of a tourist to create a public security crisis. This is a political disgrace. Opportunism and Zahran should not be taken lightly, especially when the livelihoods of migrant families are being destroyed."

Under the law, city agencies have until April 1, 2027 to develop a workforce transition plan that includes job placement, career counseling, training and referrals to other transportation and tourism jobs. Officials should also consider compensating carriage owners and helping retired horses, but no payout is guaranteed.

"We have worked closely with the city council, union partners, carriage drivers, animal welfare advocates and community leaders to deliver a just transition that protects workers and ends horse-drawn carriages in Central Park once and for all," said city spokeswoman Esneha Chaudhary.

Tow truck workers load an overturned horse carriage from a fatal crash near Roy Green Tavern, June 17, in Manhattan, New York (TNS)

Menin, who will be the first City Council speaker to support the legislation, said the city must balance tradition with public safety and worker livelihoods, according to the council.

"We can honor our city's traditions while recognizing when it's time to make progress toward public safety, protecting workers and strengthening our city's economic vitality," Menin said.

The law follows the death in June of Mahajan, a tourist from India who suffered fatal injuries after a horse-drawn carriage struck a bolt. Another carriage overturned in Central Park.

"The tragic and preventable death of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan has made it clear that the status quo is no longer acceptable," Menin said.

The Central Park Conservancy previously reported that the fatal accident was the eighth incident involving horses in or around the park in about 13 months. A few days earlier, a carriage horse named Denise fell and died while pulling tourists.

After Mahajan's death, TWU Local 100 called for tougher driver inspections, more advanced training and additional safety regulations rather than a total ban.

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