Press Release
NEW YORK—Following the death of 18-year old Romanch Mahajan from injuries suffered in a horse carriage incident in Central Park, a spokesperson for the Central Park Conservancy issued the following statement:
“We are absolutely devastated to learn that Romanch Mahajan, the 18-year-old visitor injured in today's carriage incident, has died. On behalf of everyone at the Central Park Conservancy, our deepest condolences go out to his family and loved ones during this unimaginable time.
“This is the tragedy we feared when we first called last year for horse carriages to be banned from Central Park due to the risks they pose to public safety and public health. A young man came to enjoy our park and lost his life. That is not an acceptable cost of an antiquated industry operating in the middle of one of the most heavily used public spaces in America.
“We renew our call for New York City to pass Ryder’s Law, which would ban horse carriages and provide transitional job placement services for drivers. Every day horse carriages are in the park is a day the safety of New Yorkers and visitors is in jeopardy.”
On background: There have now been eight horse-related incidents in Central Park over the past thirteen months. Questions may be directed to [email protected].
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About the Central Park Conservancy
The Central Park Conservancy is a private, not-for-profit organization that manages Central Park and is responsible for raising the Park's annual operating budget. The Conservancy’s staff of 400 is responsible for all aspects of the Park’s stewardship, from day-to-day maintenance and operations to continued restoration and rebuilding projects. Additionally, the Conservancy operates the Park’s visitor centers, provides public programs, and serves as a resource for other NYC parks and for public-private partnerships around the world. For more information, please visit centralparknyc.org.